Alicia Vikander No Longer Attached to ‘Tomb Raider’ as Bidding War Erupts Over Movie Rights

The Tomb Raider franchise is looking for a new home.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, a bidding war has erupted to acquire the rights to Tomb Raider, after MGM returned the rights to producer Graham King and his GK Films. As a result, Alicia Vikander, who starred as Lara Croft in 2018’s Tomb Raider, is no longer attached to the project. 

“Opening bids were taken last week, but things have escalated into a bidding war,” the outlet reports. “The bidding war comes as studios and streamers are hungrier than ever for known IP. One source describes the situation as a ‘feeding frenzy.’”

A sequel to the 2018 film had been in development since 2019, with Vikander set to reprise her role as Lara Craft. Meanwhile, Ben Wheatley, in addition to Lovecraft Country’s Misha Green, had both been attached to direct the potential sequel. 

Earlier this month, Vikander spoke with Entertainment Weekly about her desire to play Lara Croft in a future film.

“With the MGM and Amazon buyout, I have no clue. Now it’s kind of politics,” Vikander shared. “I think Misha [Green] and I have been ready, so it’s kind of in somebody else’s hands, to be honest.”

She added, “I hope we go and make another movie. Because of the pandemic, we had plans of shooting this film, and now it’s been one and a half years, but Misha Green is on board, and she’s writing a draft right now.”

Prior to Vikander, Angelina Jolie starred as Lara Croft in 2001’s Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and 2003’s Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, both of which were released by Paramount Pictures.