Alicia Vikander to Play Lara Croft in 'Tomb Raider' Reboot
Alicia Vikander arrives at the 9th Annual Women in Film Pre-Oscar Cocktail Party on Feb. 26, 2016, in Los Angeles. (Photo: Rich Fury/Invision/AP)
The Danish Girl star Alicia Vikander has nabbed one of Hollywood’s most coveted leading roles.
Vikander is playing Lara Croft in the Tomb Raider reboot, it was announced Thursday.
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While rumors swirled of Daisy Ridley being in the mix, sources indicate Vikander always seemed to be in the driver seat and that the reason for a delay in the offer had to do with waiting for a new draft of the script to be delivered to the studio.
Norwegian director Roar Uthaug is on board to direct.
MGM joined the project in 2013, acquiring rights to the popular videogame to develop the feature in partnership with Graham King’s GK Films. King, who acquired Tomb Raider in 2011 from Square Enix, will serve as producer.
The original Tomb Raider was released in 1996 by London-based Eidos, which is now part of Square Enix. The games have sold over 35 million units. Square Enix released a reboot in 2013 with a younger Croft (now 21) being sent off on her first big adventure amid amped-up action and set pieces.
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Paramount’s two films starring Angelina Jolie as the Brit archaeologist were released in 2001 and 2003 and grossed $432 million worldwide.
Warner Bros., which owned 20 percent of Eidos, subsequently launched development of a Tomb Raider project with Dan Lin producing, but the feature rights went to Square Enix after it bought Eidos in 2009 for $120 million.
Warners came on board in early 2015. MGM has teamed with the studio this year on Hot Pursuit, Max, and Creed.
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Cassidy Lange is overseeing for MGM; Drew Crevello is leading for Warners and Denis O’Sullivan for GK Films.
Following a strong 2015 that not only included her Oscar win for her perf in The Danish Girl but an equally lauded performance in Ex Machina, Vikander looks to have just as strong of a year ahead of her in 2016. She can be seen next in Jason Bourne, the next installment in the Bourne Identity franchise as well as The Oceans Between Us opposite Michael Fassbender.
She is repped by UTA and Tavistock Wood Management.
Alicia Vikander in ‘The Danish Girl’: Watch a featurette:
