Netflix, Crystal Dynamics, Square Enix, and Legendary Television are teaming up for a brand new animated series based on the Tomb Raider video game franchise. While details are limited at the moment, here’s everything we do know so far.
First announced alongside an anime project for Skull Island back in January 2021, Tomb Raider is a brand new animated series project coming exclusively to Netflix.
Netflix lists the project on its own site as a Japanese anime action series which is described as “a road trip adventure”. The IMDb description for the project is as follows:
“Follows heroine Lara Croft as she explores new territory.”
The series will be among a slew of big-name video games getting adaptations on Netflix.
Tomb Raider as a franchise has been around since the mid-90s and has been one of the biggest gaming franchises in history which has also made its way to the big screen in the form of the Angelina Jolie Tomb Raider movies.
In total, there have been 17 video games in the franchise with another entry reportedly on the way. The game will be coming up to its 30 year anniversary in just 5 years (feel old yet?).
Three movies have been released so far based on the video game IP including the two Angelina Jolie entries including Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and The Cradle of Life. A reboot starring Alicia Vikander came in 2018 with a sequel in development to be released by Warner Brothers.
The new series will pick up shortly after the events of the Square Enix trilogy of games that were released between 2013 and 2018.
Who is involved in the Netflix Tomb Raider series?
Heading up the writing staff is Tasha Huo who is currently working on three projects including Tomb Raider with the other two being Black Belle and Red Sonja for Millenium Films which will star Hannah John-Kamen.
Legendary Television is producing the series for Netflix alongside Crystal Dynamics, Square Enix, DJ2 Entertainment and Tractor Pants.
The animation studio working on the project will be Powerhouse Animation Studios which is behind Netflix’s Castlevania and most recently signed a first-look deal with Netflix. They operate out of Austin in Texas.
Powerhouse Animation Titles on Netflix
Serving as executive producers are Howard K. Bliss, Stephan Vladimir Bugaj, Dmitri M. Johnson, and Jacob Robinson.
Where is production on the Tomb Raider series?
Writing concluded on the project in late May 2021 with Tasha Huo posting that they’ve concluded the writing process meaning it’s now all down to the animators and voice artists to bring the words on paper to life. They appropriately celebrated by throwing axes.
That’s a wrap on the writers room! Already missing this amazing #TombRaider writing crew. Felt appropriate we end it with axes. @LAAXofficial pic.twitter.com/wbIcuMeicV
— Tasha Huo, Dragonrider (@Tasha3point0) May 28, 2021
Throughout the writing process, a number of pictures were posted on Twitter with the writers meeting via Zoom (it was being written during the COVID-19 pandemic).
Team #TombRaider Writers Assemble! @ShakiraPressley @TroyDangerfield and I take our Lara Croft action scenes very seriously. pic.twitter.com/x58u7v4rtM
— Tasha Huo, Dragonrider (@Tasha3point0) March 10, 2021
What characters from Tomb Raider will appear in the Netflix series?
Well, let’s begin with the obvious. Tomb Raider will obviously feature Lara Craft.
We learned on September 13th that Lara will be voiced by Hayley Atwell who is best known for playing Peggy Carter in Captain America and her own stand-alone series, Agent Carter.
Hayley Atwell is Lara Croft!
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
— Netflix Geeked (@NetflixGeeked) September 13, 2021
One character that will be appearing in the Netflix series that we can confirm will be Zip.
Zip featured in both the original timeline and legend timeline but based on the cast listing we’ve seen, it appears the character in Netflix’s series will be more akin to the Zip seen in the Legends timeline.
Here’s his character synopsis for the new series:
“Hacker and tech geek. Zip was discovered by Croft Industries after he broke into one of their competitor’s databases. They recruited him and continue to pay him handsomaly.”
Zip in Tomb Raider
That’s all we have on the new Tomb Raider anime series coming soon to Netflix for now, we’ll be sure to let you know more as and when we get it.