Sophie Turner officially cast as Lara Croft in Prime series

Amazon Prime Video AMZN ↗ 1.54% has officially confirmed that Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner will portray Lara Croft in the highly anticipated live-action Tomb Raider series, putting to rest months of speculation after reports first surfaced in November 2024. The streaming giant announced production will begin on January 19, 2026, marking a significant milestone for the project that has faced numerous development challenges.gizmodo+2

The confirmation comes as a relief to fans after earlier reports suggested the series was "dead" at Amazon following the departure of studio head Jennifer Salke earlier this year. Turner, who previously played Sansa Stark in HBO's Game of Thrones and Jean Grey in the X-Men films, expressed her excitement while acknowledging the legacy she's inheriting from previous Lara Croft actresses.gamespot

"I am thrilled beyond measure to be playing Lara Croft," Turner said in a statement. "She's such an iconic character, who means so much to so many – and I am giving everything I've got. They're massive shoes to fill, following in the steps of Angelina and Alicia with their powerhouse performances, but with Phoebe at the helm, we (and Lara) are all in very safe hands".yahoo+2

Creative Team Expands with New Leadership

The series will be helmed by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the Emmy-winning creator of Fleabag, who secured a lucrative deal with Amazon following her show's critical success in 2019. Waller-Bridge, who also contributed to the screenplay for the James Bond film No Time to Die and appeared in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, has now brought on additional creative support.variety+1

Chad Hodge, creator of series including Wayward Pines and Good Behavior, has joined as co-showrunner and executive producer. Hodge was reportedly brought in as a consultant in May after the series underwent multiple writers rooms and spent "tens of millions" on development costs. Jonathan van Tulleken, who directed episodes of the acclaimed series Shogun, will serve as director and executive producer.gizmodo+2

"It's not very often you get to make a show of this scale with a character you grew up loving," Waller-Bridge said in a statement. "Everyone on board is wildly passionate about Lara and are all as outrageous, brave, and hilarious as she is. Get your artifacts out… Croft is coming…".yahoo+1

Amazon's Expanding Tomb Raider Universe

The television series represents part of Amazon's broader investment in the Tomb Raider franchise. In December 2022, Amazon Games partnered with Crystal Dynamics to develop and publish the next major Tomb Raider video game, marking the first new entry in the series since 2018's Shadow of the Tomb Raider. The upcoming game will utilize Unreal Engine 5 and continue Lara Croft's story in what developers promise will be "the biggest, most expansive Tomb Raider game to date".amazongames+1

Turner follows in the footsteps of Angelina Jolie, who played the character in 2001's Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and its 2003 sequel, and Alicia Vikander, who starred in the 2018 reboot. Most recently, Hayley Atwell voiced Lara Croft in Netflix's animated series Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft.yahoo+1

For Turner, the role represents a return to major franchise television following her recent starring role in the critically acclaimed crime drama Joan, where she portrayed real-life jewel thief Joan Hannington. Though Joan was well-received and earned Turner praise for her performance, ITV confirmed the series would not return for a second season due to scheduling conflicts among the cast.imdb+1

The Tomb Raider series does not yet have a release date, but with production set to begin in early 2026, a 2027 premiere appears likely.gizmodo