Sophie Turner is the new Lara Croft. The "Game of Thrones" alum is adopting the "Tomb Raider" mantle, playing one of the most emblematic roles of Angelina Jolie's career.
The project is a TV series that will air on Prime Video and is being led by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who serves as the show's creator, writer, and co-showrunner. Turner competed for the role for months, with actresses like Mackenzie Davis, Emma Mackey, and Lucy Boynton also in consideration.
Production will kick off on January 19th, with Chad Hodge signed on as co-showrunner and Jonathan Van Tulleken as one of the project's directors and executive producers. He's previously worked on "Shogun," one of the most critically acclaimed TV shows in recent years.
“I am thrilled beyond measure to be playing Lara Croft," said Turner in a statement. "She’s such an iconic character, who means so much to so many — and I am giving everything I’ve got. They’re massive shoes to fill, following in the steps of Angelina and Alicia (Vikander) with their powerhouse performances, but with Phoebe at the helm, we (and Lara) are all in very safe hands. I can’t wait for you all to see what we have cooking.”
Waller-Bridge, who's previously worked on hit shows like "Fleabag" and "Killing Eve," also shared a statement. “It’s not very often you get to make a show of this scale with a character you grew up loving. Everyone on board is wildly passionate about Lara and are all as outrageous, brave, and hilarious as she is. Get your artifacts out — Croft is coming.”
More details about the series
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Waller-Bridge is a big fan of the series and has been working on this adaptation for a couple of years. Prime Video placed a series order of it last year, standing by the project as it hammered out final details.
Earlier this year, Turner shared a photo of her impressive set of abs, suggesting that she'd been preparing for the action role and for a new kind of performance in her career.