Acclaimed writer/director Edgar Wright supports Aubrey Plaza as the new Lara Croft following the cancellation of the long-awaited sequel to 2018's Tomb Raider. Based on the iconic Square Enix video game character, the Tomb Raider franchise has now seen two different actors play the live-action role of the adventurous female archeologist. Angelina Jolie first played Lara Croft for two films in the early 2000s, but the 2018 reboot saw Alicia Vikander take up the mantle of the titular Tomb Raider. Although Tomb Raider was critically divisive and not a huge box office success, a sequel was announced shortly afterward.
Despite promising updates from both Vikander and attached writer/director Misha Green, it was recently announced that Tomb Raider 2 has been scrapped. In addition to reported creative differences between Vikander and Green, development on the sequel was purportedly cancelled due to MGM losing the film rights for the character. The rights have now reverted to producer Graham King and his company, GK films, with Vikander and Green no longer attached to any future reboots. With Tomb Raider proving a hot commodity and various studios interested in scoring the rights to the reboot, it remains to be seen who will take on the iconic role.
In a new interview on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Plaza, who is best known for her role on Parks & Recreation, shares that Baby Driver director Wright supports her taking on the role of Croft. In fact, as Plaza hilariously explains, he genuinely thought she had already been cast in the role, with a recent magazine cover promoting her new movie, Emily the Criminal, featuring the star looking very much like the famed adventurer. Plaza is characteristically nonchalant about the idea of playing Croft, but does ultimately seem up for the role. Check out Plaza's full comment below:
My friend Edgar Wright actually saw that and texted me and said, ‘Oh my god, you’re the new Lara Croft? You’re the new Tomb Raider?’ That’s the character in ‘Tomb Raider.’ And I was like, ‘No, Edgar. That’s my movie, ‘Emily the Criminal,'” He genuinely thought I was cast as the new ‘Tomb Raider.’ And then I looked it up and they actually are casting this role right now. And I was like, ‘Well there you go. The new Tomb Raider, whatever.'
Plaza taking on the starring role in Tomb Raider is certainly a far cry from playing the morose April Ludgate on Parks & Recreation, but the actor has demonstrated an interest in a wide range of projects since the show's conclusion. In addition to taking on an array of comedic roles, Plaza has also appeared in a number of more serious films and shows, including Black Bear, Criminal Minds, and the upcoming Emily the Criminal. Although it's unclear what the future holds for the Tomb Raider franchise, Wright has directed a number of action-packed hits, certainly giving him an interesting perspective when it comes to recasting the role of Croft.
Many of Wright's films, including Three Flavors Cornetto trilogy entries The World's End and Hot Fuzz, expertly blend comedy with action or other genre elements, so it's understandable why the filmmaker sees Plaza as a strong candidate for the role. As for Plaza herself, the actor doesn't exactly seem enthusiastic about the prospect of being the next Croft, but she also doesn't seem opposed to it. While 2018's Tomb Raider failed to satisfy all audiences, Vikander's take on the iconic character did prove generally popular, meaning whoever does end up taking on the role will have big shoes to fill.
Source: The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon/YouTube