Main Cast of the Lara Croft: Tomb Raider Reboot
The 2018 film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider stars Alicia Vikander as the titular archaeologist-adventurer. The movie is based on the rebooted Lara Croft video game series by Crystal Dynamics and Square Enix. Vikander portrays a younger, independent Lara before she becomes the iconic globe-trotting treasure hunter seen in later entries.
Daniel Wu plays Lara's mentor and tech expert, while Walton Goggins portrays the main antagonist, Mathias Vogel. The supporting cast includes Nick Frost as Lara's financial backer, and Kristin Scott Thomas as Lara's estranged mother, Lady Croft. The film was produced by Warner Bros. Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, with a screenplay by Geneva Robertson-Dworet.
Cast of the Original Lara Croft: Tomb Raider Films
The 2001 film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and its 2003 sequel The Cradle of Life star Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft. Jolie's portrayal defined the character for a generation and was supported by actor Iain Glen as Lara's father, Lord Richard Croft. The films were based on the original Core Design video game series published by Eidos Interactive.
The 2003 sequel introduced Djimon Hounsou as the villainous Manfred Powell and Ciarán Hinds as the sinister Terry Sheridan. Both films were distributed by Paramount Pictures and grossed over $380 million worldwide combined. The franchise helped establish the video game adaptation genre in Hollywood and led to a reboot in 2018.
Franchise Context and Production Companies
The Lara Croft franchise spans multiple reboots, with the 2018 film marking the start of a new continuity. The reboot was directed by Roar Uthaug and produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and Square Enix's subsidiary Crystal Dynamics. The film's production budget was reported at approximately $90 million, and it grossed over $274 million globally.
The franchise rights have shifted over the years between companies including Eidos Interactive, Square Enix, and Amazon Studios. Amazon later acquired the rights to develop a new Lara Croft film and television universe under its MGM banner. The current rebooted film series positions Lara as a grounded, survival-focused adventurer rather than a stylized action hero.