Tomb Raider has been around since 1996, but it wasn't until the turn of the century that it got in on the live-action movie scene. Following in the footsteps of other gaming franchises like Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, and Super Mario Bros., Tomb Raider made its leap to the big screen with Lara Croft: Tomb Raider in 2001. It has since amassed a handful of movies, TV shows, and short films.
Most recently, Prime Video announced a new live-action Tomb Raider series with Game of Thrones (2011) star Sophie Turner playing everyone's favorite archaeologist. With Turner's Lara Croft sporting a more classic '90s look, audiences are anxious to see what direction the new show will go in. In the meantime, catch up on everything Lara Croft with our guide, which explains how to watch all the Tomb Raider movies and shows in order.
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)
Few had anything negative to say when the announcement came that Angelina Jolie would be playing Lara Croft in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, the first live-action adaptation of the well-loved video game franchise. While Jolie makes the perfect Lara Croft (just look at her!), critics were less impressed with the actual film. But, hey, screw the critics and listen to me when I say this movie is stupid fun if you rank action-adventure movies like The Mummy (1999) and even Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) among your favorites.
Jolie delivers all the charisma, class, and acrobatics expected of Lara Croft. The over-the-top action gives the movie a video game feel, which works considering this is a video game adaptation, after all. Sure, some people might label it "bad," but if you have similarly questionable tastes to me, then that's a compliment. Plus, you get to see Jolie act alongside her real-life father, Jon Voight.
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life (2003)
It might say something about me that when someone mentions the legend of Pandora's box, this movie comes to mind before anything else. The sequel to 2001's Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life, sees Angelina Jolie return as the titular character, alongside Gerard Butler as her shady, bad-boy ex. When it comes to critical consensus, The Cradle of Life gets better marks, and I tend to agree with that assessment, too.
Don't get it twisted. The Cradle of Life still falls into the category of a "dumb fun" action movie. However, its action sequences are more bombastic, its plot is a little tighter (kind of), and the glob-trotting story gives it that unique Tomb Raider feel. Jolie is still phenomenal as Lara, and Butler's inclusion gives the movie a sexy little subplot to have fun with. If you liked the first Tomb Raider movie, don't skip this one.
Tomb Raider (2018)
If you like the sillier action movie fun of Angelina Jolie's Tomb Raider movies, you might want to recheck your expectations before going into 2018's Tomb Raider. In this reboot film, Alicia Vikander steps into the boots of Lara Croft, delivering a more grounded version of the character to match the video game franchise's 2013 Tomb Raider reboot. Unlike Jolie's Tomb Raider movies that sort of do their own thing with the source material, Tomb Raider (2018) delivers a more faithful adaptation of the 2013 game (and parts of its sequel). For gamers, that's both good and bad.
Still, if you're looking for a decent Lara Croft origin story, Tomb Raider (2018) is your ticket. Vikander is fantastic in the role, and comparing her to Jolie feels like a toss-up, mostly because they're playing the character at different stages in her life. Vikander's Lara is less experienced as an adventurer, which lends the movie an emotional, relatable core. At almost two hours, it's longer than it needs to be, but fans of more grounded action-adventure movies like Blood Diamond (2006) or Gold (2016) will find a vein of that in Tomb Raider (2018).
Tomb Raider (TBA)
While the word is still out on Prime Video's upcoming Tomb Raider series, our first image of Sophie Turner's Lara Croft looks promising. With Turner outfitted in a green tank and brown shorts while rocking a long braid and holsters, the new show teases Lara in her classic '90s form. It's a far cry from Lara's more grounded style and portrayal in the Survival trilogy games that Alicia Vikander's character pulled from. However, for those craving nostalgia, it might be the perfect move.
While Lara Croft fell under controversy for being overly sexualized to entice male players into stepping into the shoes of a female avatar, she also became a gaming icon. For many, the '90s version of Lara Croft is the Lara Croft. With Fleabag (2016) creator and star Phoebe Waller-Bridge helming the show, I'm hopeful the series will embrace Croft's roots while retaining the more nuanced feminist edges the franchise has fleshed out over the decades.
Animated Tomb Raider Series Worth Checking Out
While these series don't technically connect to the mainline Tomb Raider movies and upcoming series, they're still worth watching, especially for hardcore franchise fans. Like the films, they're best watched in release date order.
Revisioned: Tomb Raider is a bit like the gaming franchise's version of Star Wars: Visions (2021) or Marvel's What If…? (2021) because of its anthology format and varying art style in each episode. While its first three episodes tell an overarching story, the rest of its 10-episode run works as standalone stories that you can jump in and out of as you desire. More casual Tomb Raider fans might see Revisioned as an unnecessary pitstop, but those who love Lara and want to see different interpretations of her will find a lot to like here.
If you happen to be an anime fan, Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft is for you. Set in the same timeline as the Survivor trilogy, aka the rebooted trilogy of games starting with 2013's Tomb Raider, this animated series sees a younger, more inexperienced Lara Croft (Hayley Atwell) hunt down treasure and navigate supernatural mysteries, which is all you really need from a Tomb Raider adaptation. The show also brings in game characters like Jonah and Sam, so it's for people who care about lore, not just the fiery explosions and gun fights.
Tomb Raider Short Movies (Optional)
Even more obscure than Lara Croft's animated outings are her two short films. While they aren't necessary to understand the larger Tomb Raider lore, completionists may still want to check them out.
Tomb Raider: The Trilogy debuted in 1998 at the launch party for Tomb Raider III. It seemingly was only meant to play at the event, but in 2016, producer Janey de Nordwall found the original tape and dropped the video online. The only other Tomb Raider short film came in 2022, with Tomb Raider: The Myth of El Hawa. Much more publicized than The Trilogy, The Myth of El Hawa fills in the gaps between Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation and Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness games, explaining how Lara survived in Egypt.
If you're trying to decide between the two, The Myth of El Hawa would be my recommendation, especially if you're a gamer looking for more canon material about the Tomb Raider games.
Tomb Raider: The Trilogy (1998)
