Hayley Atwell’s Lara Croft Is Different From Other Tomb Raider Versions In 1 Huge Way

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Unlike previous versions, the Netflix series The Legend of Lara Croft stayed true to the original games’ storyline. The Lara Croft franchise actually has a surprisingly detailed history. It all started with the 1996 computer game Tomb Raider, which was then followed by three more games released in 1997, 1998, and 1999.

The film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, starring Angelina Jolie, came out in 2001 and did well in theaters, leading to a second movie, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life, in 2003. Surprisingly, though, these films didn’t actually follow the storylines of the original Tomb Raider video games.

The Lara Croft movies starring Jolie weren’t directly based on the popular video game. Instead, they drew inspiration from the Lara Croft comic book series published by Top Cow from 1999 to 2005. The comic book version of Lara Croft differed from the game version in several ways, with some changes being small and others significantly impacting her character and storyline.

The Legend Of Lara Croft Shares A Universe With The Games

I was really excited to learn that Hayley Atwell’s animated Lara Croft series on Netflix actually takes place in the same world as the video games, not just the comics. Honestly, with over a dozen official Lara Croft games out there, keeping track of everything that’s considered ‘official’ story can be pretty confusing!

Specifically, The Legend of Lara Croft continued the story begun with the Tomb Raider game trilogy. This trilogy started in 2013 with the rebooted Tomb Raider, followed by Rise of the Tomb Raider in 2015, and concluded with Shadow of the Tomb Raider in 2018. However, the Netflix series didn’t simply follow the established storyline of these games.

Although earlier films were loosely inspired by the comic books, the 2018 Tomb Raider movie starring Alicia Vikander was a close adaptation of the 2013 video game reboot. While the movie received mixed reactions, it was praised for staying true to the game, and the new Netflix series successfully expanded on that faithfulness.

The 2018 Tomb Raider movie drew heavily from the 2013 reboot game, with a few ideas from Rise of the Tomb Raider. Because of this, when The Legend of Lara Croft premiered on Netflix in 2024, it was able to seamlessly pick up the storyline from the Survivor trilogy of games.

Should The Legend Of Lara Croft Be Considered Canon?

Although The Legend of Lara Croft takes place in the same world as the Tomb Raider games, the show’s story isn’t necessarily part of the official game storyline. Instead, the games provide backstory for the show – so if you’ve played the Survivor trilogy, you’ll already know Lara’s history and understand where the series is going.

As a fan of the Tomb Raider franchise, I found it interesting that the Netflix series doesn’t strictly adhere to the game’s established storyline. This actually gives the showrunners a lot of freedom! They can take the story in new directions after the original Survivor trilogy without worrying about contradicting future games in The Legend of Lara Croft. Honestly, it makes sense – the show only lasted two seasons (2024-2025), while the games have consistently released new installments, and more are still on the way. It’s a smart move that allows both mediums to evolve independently.

Tomb Raider “Survivor Trilogy” Game Original Release Date
Tomb Raider 5 March 2013
Rise of the Tomb Raider 10 November 2015
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 14 September 2018

While The Legend of Lara Croft successfully connected the story after Survivor to the start of the classic games, the show also introduces unique plot points not present in the original games. These additions sometimes clash with established game lore, but generally enrich the overall story world.

Keeping track of the official storyline for the Tomb Raider show is complicated by the fact that several other adaptations are also in development. With The Legend of Lara Croft recently concluding after two seasons, it’s not surprising that Phoebe Waller-Bridge, known for Fleabag, is now creating a new live-action Tomb Raider series with Sophie Turner in the lead role.

Tomb Raider Is Getting Another TV Show Soon

Image via Prime Video

The new Lara Croft series starring Turner and Waller-Bridge is coming to Amazon, not Netflix, which distributed previous Lara Croft content. This show won’t be a direct continuation of any existing movies or games; instead, it will tell a completely new story inspired by different versions of the Lara Croft character and her adventures.

The upcoming live-action series, starring Sigourney Weaver, Celia Imrie, Jason Isaacs, and Hunter Schafer, will take the story in a new direction. Unlike Netflix’s The Legend of Lara Croft, which closely followed the plot of the Survivor trilogy, this series is expected to be more original. Though unexpected, this fresh approach could be a positive change.

The Legend of Lara Croft stayed true to the spirit of the original games and cleverly connected the rebooted movie series to the earlier films. However, the upcoming show, following the cancellation of The Legend of Lara Croft, will present a completely fresh take on the story, rather than simply retelling it again.

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2026-02-16 23:19