Star Wars 7's Daisy Ridley Could Play Lara Croft in New Tomb Raider Movie

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens actress Daisy Ridley could take over for Angelina Jolie as archaeologist-adventurer Lara Croft in the upcoming Tomb Raider movie reboot. That's according to a report from Deadline, which claims the 23-year-old British actress is among those being considered.

Discussions between Ridley and producers Warner Bros. and MGM have been held, but Deadline points out that talks are still "very early." Additionally, official negotiations have not yet begun.

No mention was made in the report about any other actresses being considered for the role.

The previous two Tomb Raider films--2001's Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and 2003's Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life--starred Jolie as the iconic British archaeologist. The first movie remains the highest grossing video game adaptation ever in the US, but the disappointing box office for The Cradle of Life, combined with Jolie's reluctance to revisit the character, meant that a third film never materialized.

A release date, or even a projection of a release date, has not been announced for the new Tomb Raider movie--and it doesn't yet have a title, either. The film, like the 2013 Crystal Dynamics game, tells an origin story, which director Roar Uthaug (The Wave) recently discussed.

"I think making Lara Croft feel like a real human being, that's definitely something we want to bring to the big screen as well," he said in an interview. "I think we'll want to make people relate to Lara as a character. I'm hoping to bring some of my Norwegian sensibilities to the franchise."

Specific story points are being kept under wraps for now.Transformers 5 writer Geneva Robertson-Dworet is signed on to write the screenplay. The project is a collaboration between four companies--GK Films, Warner Bros, MGM, and Square Enix.

Ridley is currently shooting Star Wars: Episode VIII. She is also working on the documentary The Eagle Huntress as an executive producer.

Do you think Ridley is a good choice to play Croft? Let us know in the comments below!