Hayley Atwell's Tomb Raider Future: Will Lara Croft Return for More Adventures?
Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft – A Netflix Triumph!
Netflix's Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft is a major hit— the highest-rated Tomb Raider adaptation EVER, earning a whopping 67% on Rotten Tomatoes! Starring the amazing Hayley Atwell as the iconic Lara Croft, this animated series takes us on a thrilling adventure through history, filled with archaeological mysteries and new, dangerous foes, which showcases both physical prowess, as well as incredible intellect. This animation style was not just creative, but extremely effective, resulting in critical success and generating some excitement around a possibly rebooted franchise that is completely unexplored. The new series also cleverly sets itself apart through several significant means, namely its ability to showcase various plot elements far exceeding that which any prior attempt could have even come close to accomplishing!
Given this, it's only natural there's excitement for more. That season 2 is possible! Hayley Atwell, however, has given a really significant amount of insight on her thoughts surrounding this potential comeback. So let's dive into exactly what that talented actress might do concerning her character.
Hayley Atwell's Thoughts on a Tomb Raider Return
In an interview with Total Film, Hayley Atwell expressed strong interest in returning to the world of Lara Croft. Her remarks showcase her very deep interest in her character and this is more than merely playing a role: She emphasizes responsibility alongside her desire. Her comments really showcase just how committed she would be toward the entire project:
"To continue to be involved or to be involved in another way with [Lara Croft] would be an absolute dream and also a responsibility I would take seriously given how beloved and known she is…She's always up to date and that's exciting to me. I just had an absolute blast doing this with this creative team. I've loved working with [director Meredith Layne] and [showrunner Tasha Huo] on this, and having Netflix behind it. It feels like an elevated animation [and] that they really want[ed] to get it right emotionally. I would be completely honored to carry on in some way, or to have Lara in my life in a different capacity, for sure."
What This Means for the Future of Tomb Raider
Atwell’s comments about "another capacity" are very interesting, suggesting other things might be possible for Lara beyond simple sequels. It shows that the possibilities here extend way past Season 2; which may help explain why those prior attempts at live-action films largely failed, often severely disappointing critics and audiences! Yet this Netflix animated series has succeeded beyond most viewers' expectations, proving that these kinds of changes and thoughtful choices around presentation and medium choices matters significantly.
The animated format is important here. Previous Tomb Raider adaptations have struggled to perfectly portray everything that people value; often critically criticized. The chart clearly emphasizes just how effective this recent animated series truly is and its immense appeal. Here is the actual critical score breakdown compared to past attempts:
- Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001): 20% Tomatometer, 47% Audience
- Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (2003): 24% Tomatometer, 44% Audience
- Tomb Raider (2018): 52% Tomatometer, 55% Audience
- Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft: 67% Tomatometer, 51% Audience
Our Take: Season 2, or Something Even Bigger?
A Season 2 makes perfect sense! The ending completely sets up future storylines and there’s plenty of unexplored Tomb Raider timeline for new adventures to fit in perfectly, and audiences might have various new expectations already. This series could likely have a much longer lifespan. Maintaining the audience, however, could prove tricky considering this recent title still received mixed results from critics.
Animated spin-offs aren't impossible—yet focusing on more seasons appears to be far more reasonable! Those additional expansions from its existing narrative might have more compelling reasons for production than any simple side projects.
Conclusion: Hayley Atwell's Lara Croft – The Future Looks Bright!
Hayley Atwell's comments about the future certainly generate optimism concerning the future! The Netflix animated series truly revitalized this entire franchise. A second season could create an extremely popular, longer run, expanding Lara Croft’s story in unexpected ways, a success which the previous film series utterly failed to replicate, resulting in critically panned works that failed both creatively and financially.
