The most important aspect of the upcoming Prime Video adaptation of Tomb Raider will be finding the right actor to portray Lara Croft. The adventure hero has been a constant of video games since she debuted almost thirty years ago, and has even made it to the big screen twice. In the past, it was Angelina Jolie and then Alicia Vikander who took on the role, playing very different versions of the character. Now, Tomb Raider is set to be Prime Video’s next video game adaptation.
For the role, the show will need to find someone capable of embodying a surprisingly wide range of attributes. The natural action and adventure of the original games will need to be recreated as Croft survives challenges across the world. The right performer will be able to keep the character grounded despite the big bombastic elements of the franchise. They’ll also need to be able to reflect the harsher, more grounded approach to the character that’s been at the heart of recent games in the series. Given those requirements, here are ten actors who might be the perfect fit for Prime Video’s new version of Tomb Raider.
The internet’s current top pick for the role of Lara Croft is Melissa Barrera, who has proved to be a compelling lead with flexible adaptability. Barrera has proven her chops in horror films like Abigail and the Scream franchise, highlighting the ways she can maintain believability even when in the films embrace big tonal swings. A new Tomb Raider could put those skills to good use, allowing her to go big while still feeling like a three-dimensional character.
Barrera could craft a Lara Croft who remains grounded despite the dangerous and supernatural elements around her. If the new series borrows from the modern Tomb Raider games, Barrera’s experience in the horror genre would fit well into those game’s more intense beats. Barrera has also shown off some action skills in movies like Abigail, suggesting she could adapt well to the inevitable thrills and adventures of a Tomb Raider adaptation.
One of the defining elements of the modern Tomb Raiders games has been the intense and often horrifying edge Lara Croft has to endure during her adventures. If the show is going to mine those elements of the franchise for the upcoming Prime Video show, then Mia Goth might make perfect sense to pick up the dual pistols and play Lara Croft. Goth’s expressive performances would make her ideal for the film if it relied more heavily on visuals than dialogue, which would make sense given Lara’s solitary stretches exploring tombs and ruins.
Goth has exhibited an impressive range in Ti West’s horror trilogy, which has showcased her potential as a hero and a villain alike. She has the physical presence one would want from Lara Croft, even if she doesn’t have the prior action experience that other potential stars of the show possess. However, Goth could deliver a uniquely multifaceted performance as Croft, reflecting the darker edge of the character that existed in the original games.
Pom Klementieff would be an interesting pick for Lara Croft, with a wealth of blockbuster experience under her belt that suggests she’d be a perfect fit for the character. Klementieff’s ability to mine the overtly weird corners of the MCU in the Guardians of the Galaxy series for stirring dramatic beats hints at her capability to bring humanity to the potentially stony Lara Croft. She’s also a very capable physical actor, as seen in her villainous turn in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One.
Klementieff’s approach to the distant Paris created a compelling cipher out of a potentially one-note antagonist. She brings enough charm and confidence to Paris to make sure she remains compelling even while remaining a dangerous figure. It’s a skill that Klementieff could easily bring to Lara Croft, imbuing the character with a cool edge that would be fitting for the classic iteration of the character.
Jessica Henwick is no stranger to action films, having appeared in shows like Game of Thrones and Iron Fist as well as films like The Matrix Resurrections and The Gray Man. Several of those had a fantastical aspect to them, highlighting Henwick’s adaptability when taking part in action-driven big-budget stories. This suggests Henwick’s experience would make her ideal for the big beats that would inevitably happen in a Lara Croft adaptation.
Henwick’s flexibility as a performer, as seen in her largely comedic role in Knives Out: Glass Onion could be put to good use by a Tomb Raider adaptation that tackles the full scope of the franchise. Henwick has also showcased skills as a director, with her short Bus Girl winning several awards. This could make her an ideal person to helm some of the show from behind-the-scenes as well, allowing Tomb Raider to be an ideal showcase of the actor’s full skill-set.
Paige Meade, otherwise known as Paigey Cakey, has experience as both an actor and a musician. Her casting could bring a bit of diversity to the role of Lara Croft. While she’s proven her acting chops in shows like Waterloo Road and films like Attack the Block, her relatively shorter resume of films and television could allow Cakey to reinvent herself for the role in a way that other more established actors might not be able to match. Cakey could be ideal for the part as a result.
Cakey has also proven to be an impressive physical presence in real life, earning a win in a professional boxing match in 2023. This could lend itself naturally to the action of any prospective Tomb Raider series, with her physical fitness making her a natural fit for the show’s action. Cakey has the physicality and edge that one would want from Lara Croft, especially if the show is looking to replicate the grittier modern games from the series.
Daisy Ridley has proven she can serve as the lead in a major franchise, with her experience in the Star Wars sequels as Rey showcasing her ability to deliver believable action without losing any of her dramatic chops. Notably, Rey was introduced as a scavenger and survivor in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. That experience could serve her well as the lead in a Tomb Raider adaptation, which will inevitably force the character to venture into lost tombs to raid for treasure and artifacts.
Ridley’s experience as the lead of a huge franchise might also make her ideal to helm the series. Taking on such a role can be a somewhat tricky beast for a performer. While every actor on this list has the skills to do that, Ridley’s affable approach to the scope and stakes of a series as massive as Star Wars, and her ability to retain a unique and likable edge surrounded by massive visuals and scope, might make her a great pick for bringing Lara Croft to life.
One of the inherent challenges of adapting Lara Croft for modern audiences comes from her traditional wealth and privilege, something that can add problematic elements to her treasure-hunting motivations. One way of potentially addressing this would be to add a different ethnicity to the character, such as making her Indian or British-Indian. If Prime Video’s Tomb Raider goes in that direction, then Priyanka Chopra could be the ideal actor for the role.
As seen in Prime Video’s Citadel, she’s a versatile actor who can bounce between cold and charming with ease. She’s also capable of delivering impressive action performances, while still presenting a sense of natural gravitas that few other performers can match. Bringing Chopra on board could also open the doors to other settings and locations across South Asia, expanding the scope of Lara Croft’s adventures in a natural way.
Phoebe-Waller Bridge is already involved in the upcoming Tomb Raider series, with the Fleabag director/writer set to bring a harsh edge to the show. However, her performance in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny as the snarky and chaotic Helena Shaw suggests Bridge might fit well into the lead role of a similar action-adventure series like Tomb Raider. Bridge could bring a bit of her natural charm and snark to the role of Lara Croft.
This would fit with the version of the Lara Croft that was seen in the original games or the Legend Timeline. If the series tackles Lara’s more dramatic elements, then Bridge could be a fantastic fit given her more dramatic fare in shows like Fleabag. Given her established involvement in the show and her experience alongside Indiana Jones, Bridges would be a strong fit for Lara Croft.
Millie Bobby Brown has become a major star thanks to her collaborations with Netflix, with the young actor serving as the lead in several projects for the streaming service. Each of these highlights what Bobby Brown could bring to the role of Lara Croft. Stranger Things proves she can retain dramatic gravitas even as her characters live through bizarre and supernatural circumstances. Enola Holmes showcases her natural charms, something she could retain if she took on the role of Lara Croft.
Perhaps most importantly, Damsel proved that Bobby Brown has the skills to helm a massive action-filled story. The film also showcased her physical talents, with her role in that film demanding a great deal of believable action and endurance. Making her way through the dragon’s caves could easily translate to surviving the dangerous situations Lara Croft always ends up in, and make the role an ideal direction for Millie Bobby Brown if she decides to step away from Netflix.