“Everything fell apart” – Director Ben Wheatley on the Tomb Raider Sequel

Director Ben Wheatley, who was set to direct the sequel to Tomb Raider with Alicia Vikander, recently revealed that the project faced significant challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In an interview with Total Movie magazine, Wheatley shared his disappointment, stating, “We were really close to making the movie, and then it all fell apart. But Meg 2 arrived on my desk, and I worked on it.”

The failure of the first Tomb Raider film at the box office also played a role in the sequel’s struggles. The movie received mixed reviews, with only a 53% rating on review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes. Critics noted that while the reboot attempted a more grounded approach and featured a capable lead in Alicia Vikander, the story lacked inspiration.

Despite these challenges, the sequel had ambitious plans. As early as 2015, producer Adrian Askarieh aimed to create a shared universe involving Tomb Raider along with other video game franchises such as JustCause, Hitman, Deus Ex, and Thief. However, Askarieh did not possess the rights to the Lara Croft character, causing complications for his vision.

With the release of the 2018 Tomb Raider film, directed by Roar Uthaug, the possibility of continuing the franchise gained momentum. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic caused disruptions in the production, with changes in directors and screenwriters slowing down progress. Ultimately, in 2022, the project was canceled as the rights to the Tomb Raider license were lost by Metro Goldwyn Mayer, and Alicia Vikander departed from the role.

New Projects for Amazon

However, there is still hope for Lara Croft’s future. Amazon recently announced plans to create a series based on the beloved adventurer. Rumors have also circulated about the development of an entire Tomb Raider universe, including a new film and video game. The project’s director, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, expressed enthusiasm for the opportunity, stating, “There is room to do something really, really dangerous. And if I can do something perilous and exciting with Tomb Raider, I already have an audience that loves Lara and hopefully will continue to love her.”