Most movies are made without a sequel in mind. They have a beginning and end and hope to make an impact the moment that they are released. And then you have movies where a sequel is in the planning process even before the first one launches. That has been the case with Tomb Raider, a 2018 movie starring Alicia Vikander as Lara Croft. Tomb Raider is an adventure-thriller based on a classic video game, which follows Croft on her journey through the Devil’s Sea to find her father. For a number of years, the question of a sequel to the 2018 movie has been on everyone’s lips. Fans were thrilled when they learned that there were plans to start making one this year. However, COVID-19 threw a spanner in the works and everything changed practically overnight.
The First Pair of Tomb Raider Themed Movies
The 2018 movie was not the first one based on this action-adventure franchise. In fact, the first Lara Croft: Tomb Raider movie, starring Angelina Jolie was released in 2001, and a sequel was released in 2003, called Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life. The first movie was a box office success, debuting at number one and one of the highest grossing video games to film adaptations in history.
As soon as the Jolie movie was released, fans went crazy for everything Lara Croft-related. The video game, already one of the most popular in the world, became even more sought-after. The theme spilled over into many different entertainment fields.
In 2004, the online casino software group, Microgaming penned a brand deal with Square Enix and launched the industry’s first ever licensed branded slot game with Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. It became one of the most popular online slot games of all times. Dogslots.com was the first site to feature the Tomb Raider slot game in 2004. We expect they will have the latest addition soon after the movie’s release.
So Why the Delay?
The global pandemic put the plans on hold for a number of major films. In October 2020, it was reported that the release of the Lara Croft 2018 sequel, originally slated for a March, 2021 release, had been delayed indefinitely. The delay didn’t come as a huge surprise, considering that filming hasn’t begun yet. But it left many fans disappointed that 2021 won’t be the year that they’ll see a return of their favorite heroine to the big screens.
But there may be hope on the horizon. A vaccine against COVID-19 is now a reality, and the movie industry may be seeing some kind of return to normalcy. Already, we are seeing filming on several major films resumed, including The Batman, Spider-Man 3 and Jurassic World: Dominion. That leaves fans with some hope that a schedule may be carved out for filming of Tomb Raider 2. Realistically, however, the movie probably won’t make it into the theaters before 2022.
There have been no trailers released, and we’re not expected to see one for a long time yet.
A Peak at the Plot
Nobody yet knows where the sequel of Tomb Raider will pick up from in the storyline. The first film was inspired by the prequel game trilogy and the sequel may be too.
Some possible theories:
- The movie could zoom in on Lara Croft’s battle against Trinity.
- It could create a new tomb and mission for Lara, with no connection to the first movie.
- It could take inspiration from the Rise of the Tomb Raider video game sequel which takes Lara to the lost city of Kitezh.
What we do know is that there are some very exciting people attached to the sequel. For example, Amy Jump was hired to write the script because Vikander liked her style. Also, Ben Wheatley is taking over from Roar Uthaug as director of the sequel. Wheatley has experience working on cult British movies such as Rebecca and High Rise. So far, confirmed cast members are Vikander as Lara Croft and Kristin Scott Thomas as Ana Miller.
Tomb Raider 2018 was a moderate success, despite the mixed reviews, and it made nearly $275 million worldwide. It is expected that a sequel could do just as well, or even better, and the question is only when it will finally happen.
