First Official Image of Alicia Vikander as Lara Croft in Tomb Raider

All eyes are going to be on Gal Gadot once Wonder Woman is released.  In just a few short days Scarlett Johansson will be the focus of film critics.  But there’s another name out there who is trying to resurrect a movie franchise by the name of Lara Croft.  That name is Alicia Vikander.   Alicia had herself a solid year in 2015. She played both a mysterious (and eventually vengeful) robot in Ex Machina as well as a devoted wife and artist in The Danish Girl. It was the latter role that won her the Oscar and could have minted an entire career in thoughtful period dramas.

But Vikander decided to take a risk.   Vikander is going the action heroine route and taking the lead in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, a part once occupied by Angelina Jolie.  While comic book movies are dominating the box office, video game movies are still struggling to get fans interested enough.  In terms of video game movie success, Lara Croft is technically the most successful franchise of the bunch.

As the official plot description puts it, “Suddenly, the stakes couldn’t be higher for Lara, who–against the odds and armed with only her sharp mind, blind faith and inherently stubborn spirit–must learn to push herself beyond her limits as she journeys into the unknown. If she survives this perilous adventure, it could be the making of her, earning her the name tomb raider.”

“When I was asked to take on this role I got really excited–Lara Croft is a truly iconic character,“ Vikander told Vanity Fair via e-mail. “I think people can identify with her for lots of different reasons, but for me I very much see her as a model for many young women. She’s trying to carve out her place in the world and connect her future with her past. She also has a fantastic mix of traits–tough, smart, vulnerable, plus she’s kick ass! She is also uniquely different to other characters I have taken on previously. It’s a lot of fun trying to get into Lara’s head and the challenge of getting to grips with such a physical role is an element of this project that I find an absolute thrill.”