With two new games and an upcoming TV series, there has never been a better time to be a fan of Tomb Raider. Lara Croft is one of the most iconic heroes within the video game industry, often being heralded as an influential protagonist who has remained immensely popular ever since she first appeared in 1996. Consequently, we have seen many versions of Lara over the years, across a range of media.
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Lara Croft is known for being one of the most confident and badass protagonists in all of gaming, but these villains managed to push her to the limit.
Be it games, movies, shows, or comics, each iteration tinkers around with certain aspects of her character, usually for the better, but sometimes for the worse. In preparation for the anticipated release of Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, here's a deep dive into each Lara and what makes them so beloved to fans of the series.
Special Mention: Sophie Turner's Lara Croft (Upcoming Tomb Raider Series)
Well, we have a new Tomb Raider series on the horizon, with Sophie Turner stepping into Lara Croft's well-worn shoes. While a release date has yet to be provided, the show will air on Amazon Prime Video and has been in development since at least 2024. At the moment, not a great deal has been revealed about this upcoming project or its story; that said, it seems to take inspiration from the Original and Legend timelines, rather than the Survivor trilogy. Lara seems set to be a relatively experienced adventurer, and she will be aided by Winston and Zip.
Sophie Turner is an interesting choice for the role, and she has name-recognition due to her time on Game of Thrones. We have only really seen one image of her as Lara Croft, which is nowhere near enough to make a judgment call on whether she will be perfect for the role. Not to discount her iconic look, but Lara is defined by her personality and confidence, not just her clothes and physical appearance.
9 Tomb Raider: The Prophecy
Though Lara Doesn't Get Much Screentime In This Game, She Still Has A Few Cheeky Quips And One-Liners
Tomb Raider: The Prophecy
- Released
- November 12, 2002
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Core Design, Ubisoft
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Game Boy Advance
Tomb Raider: The Prophecy was a spin-off game that was released by Ubisoft Milan while Core Design was still busy working on the original series. Because the game is on the shorter side, clocking in at roughly 3 to 4 hours in length, it means that there's not much time for any character development for Lara throughout her adventure, and the lack of voice acting also makes this iteration a little forgettable, though she does still let out a few one-liners here and there which call-back to her personality in the original games.
Lara seems pretty much unfazed for much of the story, even though she's literally taking on magical wizards and undead skeletons in most combat encounters, which can be a little jarring. Thankfully, her iconic classic design has been carried over to this game, along with her dual pistols, but Lara's personality is pretty surface-level in this spin-off GBA title.
8 Alicia Vikander's Tomb Raider (2018)
The Lara Seen In The 2018 Movie Felt Just A Bit Too Bland For A Lot Of Fans
Tomb Raider
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- March 16, 2018
- Runtime
- 118 minutes
- Director
- Roar Uthaug
- Cast
- Alicia Vikander, Dominic West, Walton Goggins, Daniel Wu, Kristin Scott Thomas, Derek Jacobi, Alexandre Willaume, Tamer Burjaq, Adrian Collins, Keenan Arrison, Andrian Mazive, Milton Schorr, Hannah John-Kamen, Peter Waison, Samuel Mak, Sky Yang, Civic Chung, Josef Altin, Billy Postlethwaite, Roger Jean Nsengiyumva, Jaime Winstone, Michael Obiora, Shekhar Varma, Rekha John-Cheriyan, Antonio Aakeel
After the huge commercial and critical success of the 2013 reboot, a Tomb Raider movie was put forward and eventually released in 2018 to somewhat of a mixed reception. While the movie looked amazing and had some incredibly fun segments, Alicia Vikander's portrayal of Lara felt just a little bit too subdued to make her stand out. This isn't anything against the actress herself, more so that Lara, the character, really isn't given a lot to do in the movie, often feeling like an outsider looking in.
A major reason for this is that Lara's father plays a massive role in the movie, being the one who actually learns about Yamatai rather than Lara finding out through her own research. There's also a severe lack of action scenes in the movie, which would've been good to highlight the more confident and strategic side of Lara. Ultimately, the film took itself just a little too seriously, and that goes double for Lara herself.
7 Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft
An Extension Of The Survivor Trilogy With A Version Of Lara That Doesn't Quite Fit The Timeline
Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2024 - 2025-00-00
WHERE TO WATCH
- Cast
- Hayley Atwell, Allen Maldonado, Earl Baylon, Richard Armitage, Zoe Boyle, Roxana Ortega, Maggie Lowe
- Streaming Service(s)
- Netflix
A fairly divisive take on Tomb Raider and Lara Croft in general, this Netflix animated series is well-worth watching if you are into the franchise on the whole, although you should go in expecting a somewhat different take on the character. Although set within the Survivor continuity, this Lara comes across as more confident and experienced than her video game counterpart. Yes, the series is set after Shadow of the Tomb Raider, but we also see segments set before the 2013 reboot that suggest she is already a skilled explorer.
Honestly, The Legend of Lara Croft might have been better off going with an entirely different timeline, as the story changes quite a few things that do not align all that well with the source material. Lara, herself, is fairly likable, but she is almost entirely defined by her relationships with the likes of Jonah and Sam, who are just not that interesting characters. The art style is also an acquired taste that can take a while to get used to, and it does not quite come together as perfectly as the Castlevania series.
6 The Lara Croft Spin-Off Series
Lara Puts Her Bravery And Charisma On Full Display In The Spin-Off Games
Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light
- Released
- August 18, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
After their reboot of the series, Crystal Dynamics decided to create a small spin-off series that ditched the Tomb Raider name and consisted of two games: Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light and the Temple of Osiris. Both titles are arcade-inspired co-op games that actually have pretty engaging stories that center around Lara's attempts to stop ancient Mayan and Egyptian mythological gods from enslaving all of humanity.
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Because these games were situated between the original trilogy and the survivor reboot, it means that Lara is essentially a combination of the two, retaining most of her classic characteristics while also being a little more serious and caring for others around her. Keeley Hawes does an amazing job at showcasing Lara's wit and intelligence through her voice alone, and the way Lara is able to act so brave and willing in some incredibly tough situations perfectly suits the character. Lara's usual enthusiasm for archeology is unfortunately very absent in these games, but she's still presented as being a true badass who can more than hold her own.
5 Angelina Jolie's Tomb Raider (2001)
Angelina Jolie's Iteration Of The Character Was Tough While Still Showing A Lot Of Emotion
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- June 15, 2001
- Runtime
- 100 Minutes
- Director
- Simon West
- Cast
- Angelina Jolie, Jon Voight, Iain Glen, Noah Taylor, Daniel Craig, Richard Johnson
The smash-hit 2001 Tomb Raider movie, featuring Angelina Jolie in the starring role, did an amazing job at presenting Lara as fun and charismatic, while still giving her depth and nuance that show her as being much more than a simple archaeologist looking for her latest find. While there are plenty of enthralling action scenes to admire, one of the most popular being Lara's bout with the dummy robots inside a tomb, there are also a few more emotional scenes thrown in that center on Lara's loneliness after losing her father.
This reaches a boiling point when she's eventually given the chance to resurrect her father through the power of a mysterious contraption known only as the Triangle, leading to a heartbreaking scene where she must decide whether to use it for her own gain or to destroy it for good. The sequel movie, The Cradle of Life, unfortunately, doesn't quite keep up this momentum with Lara being a little less interesting and fleshed out, but she's still just as charismatic as ever and looks like a true badass during her action scenes thanks to Jolie's practical stunts.
4 Lara Croft In Tomb Raider Comics (Top Cow)
The Most Underrated Version Of Lara Croft
- Character Debut: Tomb Raider/Witchblade #1
- Run: 1997 – 2005 (The Tomb Raider comic series started in 1999)
Considering her popularity, it should not come as a surprise that Lara Croft has a fairly impressive comics resume, with her first appearance happening all the way back in 1997. While that was a Witchblade crossover, Lara eventually received her own series, which ran from 1999 to 2005. Basically, it lasted throughout most of her first heyday, only coming to an end prior to Tomb Raider: Legend.
This Lara is relatively similar to the original incarnation, albeit with an expanded and more expressive personality. However, her backstory is different, and the comics are set in a different timeline. If you are primarily looking for standalone adventures with some continuity, the Top Cow series is definitely worth a look, as the comics capture Lara's essence and are simply fun reads.
3 The Tomb Raider Survivor Trilogy
Lara's Personal Journey From Explorer To Survivor Is A Dark, Gritty, And Captivating Version Of Her Character
Tomb Raider
- Released
- March 5, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Crystal Dynamics
- Genre(s)
- Action
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Stadia, Xbox 360, Xbox One
The Survivor Trilogy chronicles Lara's personal journey from a humble explorer to a hardened warrior, and while this character development doesn't always hit its mark, for the most part, these games tell an incredibly compelling story of how the events around Lara mold her into a new person. During the events of the first game, Lara goes through multiple hardships after being stranded on the island of Yamatai, being forced to kill, hunt, and steal to survive, which forces her to become cold and ruthless.
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Her obsession with completing her father's unfinished work in Rise of the Tomb Raider expanded upon her as a character even more, and while she didn't quite get as much development in the third game, the Survivor trilogy still told an amazing story that made Lara very grounded and believable as a protagonist.
If you want more adventures starring this version of Lara, check out Dark Horse's comics series.
2 The Original PS1 Tomb Raider
Cool, Calculated, And Witty, Lara Became A Gaming Icon As Soon As She First Appeared In 1996
Tomb Raider
- Released
- November 14, 1996
WHERE TO PLAY
Without a doubt, the most recognizable iteration of Lara is the version seen in the original series, spanning from the first game all the way up to The Angel of Darkness in 2003. Brave, witty, and endlessly charismatic, this version of Lara immediately became a gaming icon when she first appeared on screens, breaking down many barriers within the industry and becoming a very influential protagonist. Lara's abandonment of her royal lifestyle to pursue her love for history and archeology not only shows how much she adores exploration but also that she's quite a rebellious character who doesn't always play by the rules.
The original version of Lara is also just a ton of fun to be around in general, thanks to her bubbly attitude and constant one-liners, which almost rival the likes of Leon S. Kennedy. While she doesn't show too much emotion or vulnerability throughout the original series, she still captivated audiences thanks to her infectious care-free personality and action-hero persona, and it was a joy to see her return in the form of the remastered compilations.
1 Lara Croft In The Legend Trilogy
Excellently Showcases All The Best Parts Of Lara's Character, Including Her Passion For Archeology
Tomb Raider: Legend
- Released
- April 11, 2006
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Crystal Dynamics, Nixxes, Buzz Monkey Software
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure
- Platform(s)
- Android, iOS, Nintendo Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, GameCube, PC, PS2, PS3, PSP, Xbox (Original), Xbox 360
After the commercial failure of Angel of Darkness, production of the next Tomb Raider game was handed over to Crystal Dynamics, who aimed to completely revitalize the series, not only in terms of gameplay, but also in Lara as a character. What resulted was shades of the cool, confident, and calculated Lara of old, mixed in with a slightly more vulnerable side that led to what many consider to be the most fun and interesting iteration of the character to date.
Throughout this trilogy of games, there are also some fascinating scenes where Lara gets to talk more about why she has such an undying passion for history, such as when she's speaking to Anaya about the importance of understanding the past and how it can help us learn more about ourselves. Witnessing people being lost around her, such as Amanda, who is buried under a sea of rubble, also highlights a slightly more somber side to Lara, which goes a long way in making her more realistic as a person. Crystal Dynamics managed to revitalize interest in Lara as a character thanks to their amazing iteration seen throughout the first reboot trilogy series.
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Tomb Raider is an all-time great franchise with many great games, but not all of Lara Croft's adventures are equal.