Oscar winner Alicia Vikander has been cast as Lara Croft in the “Tomb Raider” that is finally coming together at MGM, Warner Bros. and GK Films, TheWrap has learned.
Norwegian filmmaker Roar Uthaug (“The Wave”) will direct the action-adventure movie, which is based on the popular Eidos video games that have sold over 35 million units worldwide.
Graham King will produce under his GK Films banner. GK’s Denis O’Sullivan will oversee the project on behalf of the company, while Cassidy Lange will oversee for MGM.
“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” actress Daisy Ridley was initially rumored to star, and while she did meet on the project, those discussions never led to serious negotiations, and Vikander has been the frontrunner for the coveted role for the past several months.
Vikander takes over the role of Lara Croft from Angelina Jolie, who also signed on to “Tomb Raider” after winning an Oscar for “Girl, Interrupted.” The last film in Jolie’s series, “Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life,” was released in 2003.
Vikander’s casting is a coup for MGM, which gets an up-and-coming talent and an Oscar winner to boot. On the flip side, “Tomb Raider” is a solid score for Vikander, who now has a franchise to call her own.
Vikander will soon be seen opposite Matt Damon in Universal’s “Jason Bourne,” Michael Fassbender in the DreamWorks drama “The Light Between Oceans” and Dane DeHaan in the Weinstein Company’s period drama “Tulip Fever.”
The Swedish actress, who won an Oscar for her supporting performance in “The Danish Girl,” is currently filming Wim Wenders‘ romantic thriller “Submergence” with James McAvoy. She’s represented by UTA and Tavistock Wood Management.