Netflix announced that it was developing a new anime series based on Square Enix’s Tomb Raider franchise back in January. The company has now revealed that Hayley Atwell will be lending her voice for the franchise’s iconic adventurer, Lara Croft.
Atwell is best known for her role as Dr. Margaret Elizabeth “Peggy” Carter in many of Marvel Studios’ Captain America films. The actress can also be heard in the new hypothetical Disney+ show What If!, the first season of which revolves around Peggy becoming the first Super Soldier instead of Steve Rogers.
“Netflix’s upcoming TOMB RAIDER anime series from Powerhouse Animation picks up after the event of Square Enix’s video game reboot trilogy, and will follow Atwell’s Lara Croft in her latest, greatest adventure,” the company tweeted.
Hayley Atwell is Lara Croft!
— Netflix Geeked (@NetflixGeeked) September 13, 2021
Netflix’s upcoming TOMB RAIDER anime series from Powerhouse Animation picks up after the event of Square Enix’s video game reboot trilogy, and will follow Atwell’s Lara Croft in her latest, greatest adventure. pic.twitter.com/4NT02YfuOH
The statement confirms that the series will take place after the latest Tomb Raider game, 2018’s Shadow of the Tomb Raider. Eidos-Montréal is reportedly working on a fourth installment that will unify the timelines of the original Core titles with the modern trilogy, but it’s unclear whether Netflix’s new anime series will factor into that effort.
In the 25 years since its launch, the Tomb Raider video game series has sold over 81 million copies and garnered a treasure chest worth of awards. The game’s success has led to a global franchise encompassing movies, merchandise, comic books and now, a stylish animated series. The most recent game release, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, has received numerous “Best of” nominations and awards. The Tomb Raider video games are developed by Crystal Dynamics and Eidos Montréal, and published by Square Enix.
Some Tomb Raider fans seem to be upset at Netflix’s casting decision, arguing that the company could have simply hired Camilla Luddington instead. That actually makes a lot of sense, as Luddington provided the voice for Lara Croft in all three of the modern Tomb Raider titles and did a great job at bringing a younger version of the fan-favorite character to life.
Source: Netflix Geeked