Alicia Vikander's Tomb Raider sequel taps Lovecraft Country's Misha Green to write/direct

Lara Croft is far from finished with her epic archaeological explorations on the big screen. The globetrotting hero of countless video game adventures made a rebooted movie leap with 2018’s Tomb Raider, featuring Alicia Vikander in the title role — and now she’s reportedly confrimed to be swinging back for more, this time with a new writer/director at the helm.

Deadline reports that Misha Green, the creator and showrunner of HBO’s horror-tinged Lovecraft Country series, has signed on to direct MGM's upcoming Tomb Raider sequel, with Vikander again on board as Lara Croft. Green inherits the reins from Norwegian director Roar Uthaug, who helmed the previous movie. 

Green took to Twitter to share her excitement today, while also showing off her familiarity with the game, namely 2006's Tomb Raider: Legend, 2015's Rise of the Tomb Raider, and 2018's Shadow of the Tomb Raider.

It’s been a while since the sequel got a fresh news boost. Free Fire writer Amy Jump reportedly had been set to write the new movie back in 2019. There’s no recent word on whether Jump remains attached to the project, but The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that Green is writing as well as directing.

Longtime fans know the current film cycle isn’t the first time that Lara Croft has lit up movie screens. The popularity of the game franchise was enough to propel Angelina Jolie into the mythic starring role all the way back in 2001 with Paramount’s Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. That movie netted nearly $275 million worldwide, and went on to inspire the 2003 sequel Lara Croft: Tomb Raider — The Cradle of Life, which also featured Jolie turning in an action-heavy performance.

The untitled sequel doesn’t come with any story details just yet, but is set for the same U.S. theatrical distribution as the reboot's first film via MGM, with Warner Bros. reportedly handling the film’s overseas release. Vikander's first Lara Croft movie hauled in an estimated $275 million at the global box office, coming in the same year as the franchise's last major video game — Square Enix’s Shadow of the Tomb Raider.