Actor Alicia Vikander will not be reprising the role of Lara Croft, and fans aren’t happy about it.
Per The Wrap, the Academy Award winner has departed from the Tomb Raider franchise due to studio politics. Earlier this month, she remarked that her future in the films was in limbo as a consequence of the corporate acquisition of MGM by Amazon Studios. Volatile ticket sales for video game-based films are also a contributing factor to the outcome, as MGM did not renew its right to produce a Tomb Raider sequel. The franchise is now at the center of a bidding war.
The announcement on social media came as a disappointment to Tomb Raider fans, who expressed their dismay over the decision and their affection for the Swedish star.
Kyle Bauckman was baffled by the news that Vikander would no longer star in Tomb Raider and put forth that her performance was the highlight of the film.
The consensus was that Vikander’s exit is a loss for the franchise. Another fan, jaytomcat, tweeted their praise of her.
Vikander took over the reins from Angelina Jolie to star as Lara Croft in the 2018 reboot of MGM’s Tomb Raider. She was on board to reprise the role in a sequel with the working title Tomb Raider: Obsidian that was in development in 2019. Unfortunately, the project was derailed by COVID-19.
As things stand, it’s unclear which studio will secure the rights to make the next Tomb Raider film. Hopefully, Vikander will find some comfort in the swell of support she is receiving from her fans, and she moves forward with other film projects.
Tomb Raider is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.