Tomb Raider (Film in the Works as Amazon Makes Rich Rights Deal for Marvel-Like Franchise)

‘Tomb Raider’ Bidding War Erupts as MGM Loses Movie Rights (Exclusive)

MGM has lost the film rights to “Tomb Raider,” based on the popular video game, sparking a bidding war for the IP, TheWrap has exclusively learned.

MGM had till May of this year to greenlight a “Tomb Raider” sequel, and the window passed. A host of Hollywood movie studios are in the mix and put in bids, according to multiple insiders with knowledge of the project.

Alicia Vikander, who starred as Lara Croft in 2018’s “Tomb Raider” is no longer attached to the project. Insiders add it’s a complete reboot and there are no casting or director commitments. Rights reverted to the game company, then the game company and Graham King’s GK Films made a deal to rep the IP.

The 2018 “Tomb Raider” earned nearly $275 million at the global box office. The film is based on the popular video game series starring the adventuring Lara Croft, and the games were initially adapted into a blockbuster pair of films in 2001 and 2003 that starred Angelina Jolie, which grossed $432 million worldwide.

A sequel to the 2018 “Tomb Raider” film had “Lovecraft Country” showrunner Misha Green attached to write and direct at one point, but that has fallen apart.

Producer Graham King and his GK Films banner acquired the “Tomb Raider” rights in 2011 from Square Enix, and is considering the offers.

Back in May, Embracer acquired “Tomb Raider” game developer Crystal Dynamics and all corresponding IP from Square Enix in a deal worth $300 million. In the company’s Q4 and full year financial report, Embracer CEO Lars Wingefors said he sees “great potential, not only in sequels, but also in remakes, remasters, spinoffs as well as transmedia projects” for “Tomb Raider.”

MGM declined to comment.

Source: The Wrap

Rusty wrote:$10 says Disney buys it.

Movies, series, animated series, merch.

WyldeMan wrote:

Nah, Disney already owns enough major IP, I can't imagine they'd be interested in Tomb Raider.

Amazon Prime is out because they own MGM, who just lost the Raider rights.

My gut says Paramount will buy it specifically for their Paramount+ app and they'll develop sequels, prequels, spin-offs and shows for it. They'll build out an entire Tomb Raider universe to fully exploit the property in every conceivable capacity.

Rusty wrote:I legit thought about Paramount, yet I still feel Disney because their philosophy is "own it". The amount of shit they own that will never again see the light of day is astonishing. They are the sort of cunt's that will buy something just so their competitors can't make money off of it.

joey con carne wrote:I'm just glad whatever new Tomb Raider is coming out it will be a reboot.

Reboot! Reboot! Reboot!

Rusty wrote:

joey con carne wrote:I'm just glad whatever new Tomb Raider is coming out it will be a reboot.

Reboot! Reboot! Reboot!

Hell yeah. That last reboot was not memorable at all. I never bothered with a re-watch, yet I've watched the Jolie iterations multiple times.

UltimateMarvel wrote:The movie wasn't that bad and there were a lot of similarities to the video game, I didn't hate it. Plug, Walton Goggins is always entertaining.

WyldeMan wrote:
That because you still value a quality rack.

Rusty wrote:

WyldeMan wrote:
That because you still value a quality rack.

A quality rack does garner significant attention.

Amazon is building a Tomb Raider franchise.

Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that the retail giant and streamer has teamed with Dmitri M. Johnson’s dj2 Entertainment for a massive rights deal to make a Tomb Raider feature film, in addition to the newly announced TV series from Phoebe Waller-Bridge and at least one video game in the Lara Croft franchise.

The idea is to build out a connected world of Tomb Raider, with the video game, TV series and film all interconnected in a fashion akin to what Marvel has already accomplished. The Tomb Raider video game was announced in December, with additional games in the franchise considered likely.

One source with knowledge of the pact described it as being among the largest commitments at Amazon after Lord of the Rings. By comparison, Amazon is estimated to have spent $250 million on rights alone to Lord of the Rings, with that deal covering a multiple-season show (The Rings of Power) as well as spinoffs.

Reps for Amazon and reps for Johnson declined to comment.

While Waller-Bridge is attached to write the script for the Tomb Raider TV series — as THR exclusively reported — the Fleabag Emmy winner is not involved in the film or the game. Waller-Bridge is said to be a big Tomb Raider fan and was eager to be involved with the TV series, though she is not currently attached to star in the project that has a series greenlight built into the larger Tomb Raider rights deal. Her involvement in the Tomb Raider series stems from her recently renewed overall deal with Amazon.

Johnson’s dj2 Entertainment put together the deal for the Tomb Raider anime series at Netflix, which included a two-season order. The company has spent the past year-plus working out rights to the property. Last year, Crystal Dynamics regained control of the rights to the Tomb Raider games after Embracer completed its acquisition of Square Enix assets.

Johnson, for his part, and his dj2 Entertainment signed a first-look deal with Amazon Studios in February 2022. Under the pact, dj2 — which co-produced the Sonic the Hedgehog film — will focus on adapting video game titles for the streamer. Johnson’s dj2 is also working on adapting Life Is Strange and Disco Elysium as film and TV projects.

Source: THR

UltimateMarvel wrote:I assume Alicia Vikander is out then? They don't need more than a trilogy for a Tomb Raider movie.

Rusty wrote:Florence Pough's name will get thrown around. She's a Brit, and has successful Marvel action under her belt.