Tomb Raider movie sequel: Here's what we know about Tomb Raider 2's release date, trailer, cast and more


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Lara Croft, one of gaming’s most beloved action heroines, is returning to cinemas for a new Tomb Raider movie. 

It won't be her first outing on the big screen. Back in the early 00s, Angelina Jolie stepped into the iconic short shorts and twin holsters in a pair of cheesy, CG-heavy blockbusters. Then, in 2018, the series was brought back to life with Alicia Vikander in the lead role, in a grittier origin story that more closely resembled the recent, rebooted games trilogy.

The 2018 Tomb Raider movie, directed by Norwegian filmmaker Roar Uthaug, received disappointing reviews and just about broke even at the box office. But, despite all that, Vikander was praised for her portrayal of the intrepid adventurer, and the movie did better than expected in international markets such as China. 

It might have been a shaky start, but given Lara’s popularity – and the potential for a much better movie – there was at least some appetite to see Vikander get a second shot at playing the character. And so, a sequel was greenlit, albeit with a surprising new team behind the camera.

Keep reading for everything we know about the upcoming Tomb Raider sequel – including who’s in it, who’s behind it, and when it’s getting released. 

Tomb Raider 2 movie filming

With original director Roar Uthaug not returning, a new creative team has been brought in to liven up Lara’s second adventure. It's a bold, exciting choice – and one that few people would have predicted. Tomb Raider 2 will see scriptwriter Amy Jump and director Ben Wheatley – the celebrated wife-and-husband duo behind indies such as Kill List, Sightseers, High Rise and Free Fire – taking on their first Hollywood blockbuster. 

Filming was supposed to take place this spring/summer, but the production was delayed (likely because of the coronavirus pandemic). There’s not been much news on the film’s shoot since, but we do know that it will take place in England and South Africa. 

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Tomb Raider 2 movie plot

Story details are scarce, but it has been reported that the sequel will lean in more to the game series’ supernatural elements. It’s likely to be a direct continuation of the first movie, with Lara delving deeper into the mysteries surrounding Trinity – the shadowy organisation of ne'er do wells with links to her father’s estate. 

The end credits sequence of the previous film also saw Lara finally getting her hands on her iconic twin pistols. Expect the sequel to follow her evolution into the badass tomb raider we all know and love.

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Tomb Raider 2 movie cast

Ex Machina’s Alicia Vikander is set to return as Lara Croft for the sequel, having already expressed interest in a second outing. “If there's an audience out there for it, then I would love to," she told GameSpot after the first film’s release. 

No other cast members have been announced yet. But, if the filmmakers are sticking as close to the games as they claim, we’d expect a more prominent role for Kristin Scott Thomas’ Ana Miller – especially after Lara discovered she was a wrong 'un at the end of the last movie. Her character is based on Ana, a senior agent of Trinity who plays a big role in game sequel Rise Of The Tomb Raider.

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Tomb Raider 2 movie trailer

We’re not even sure that filming has kicked off properly, so it’s way too early for a trailer. Expect more details to start drip-feeding through over the coming months as Hollywood gets back to work.

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Tomb Raider 2 movie release date

The Tomb Raider sequel was scheduled to hit cinemas on 19 March 2021. However, that was assuming that filming would have finished by late summer 2020.

There hasn’t yet been any official announcement of a release date change, but it’s highly likely that the film will be delayed because of the coronavirus disruption. Either that, or it’ll be one hell of a tight turnaround...

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