The 2001 movie Lara Croft: Tomb Raider starring Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft, was a tremendous box office hit. Lara Croft rose to prominence during the heyday of the original PlayStation, becoming a household name to compete with Sonic and Link. Lara Croft: Tomb Raider garnered poor fan reviews and joined a long list of subpar video game adaptations. However, the excitement of seeing Lara on the big screen was enough to make Tomb Raider a box-office success.
Angelina Jolie played Lara Croft in the films Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Cradle of Life. However, Jolie did not return to its third installment. Graham King, the producer of Tomb Raider stated that Warner Bros. was still looking for a way to include Jolie, but finally opted against it for fear of spoiling the reboot’s specific tone.
Why Angelina Jolie’s Cameo Didn’t Happen In Tomb Raider 2018?
To give the audience an Easter Egg, reboots often feature cameos from past stars. Sadly, Angelina Jolie, who portrayed Lara Croft in the first two Tomb Raider movies in the early 2000s, was unable to make a cameo appearance in the 2018 Tomb Raider reboot film.
In an interview with CinemaBlend, Tomb Raider producer Graham King explained,
“It was never a story that had that moment where you could, you know what I mean – pass the baton over,” further adding, “There wasn’t that kind of tone and that would’ve changed tones to have that.”
He also said,
“The studios, of course, said, ‘Is there a way to get Angie? Should we try and have her kind of baton over this kind of thing?’
“And I understand it for marketing and studios or whatever, but that never felt organic to our film. Something like that can tip the balance.”
Even if the reviews weren’t all that favorable, the film managed to draw in a sufficient audience and propelled Jolie to the status of a cinematic celebrity.
The Legacy Of Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider remains one of Jolie’s most recognizable roles. Even though the Tomb Raider movies received poor reviews, Angelina Jolie’s portrayal of Lara changed her forever. She became an A-list movie star after playing Lara, and her performance was without a doubt the best part of the franchise.
Even though the film was a big commercial hit, Jolie’s creative vision for the character wasn’t fully achieved. Despite this, Jolie believes the movie gave her the confidence to continue performing her own stunts in her later films.
Jolie portrayed Lara Croft as a daring and intelligent explorer in the movie. She perfectly embodied the role, demonstrating the character’s physical prowess, resourcefulness, and resolve. Jolie’s performance contributed to the widespread success of Lara Croft as a powerful female action heroine.
Overall, Angelina Jolie’s portrayal of Lara Croft in the Tomb Raider films left an impression on viewers and added to the franchise’s cultural significance.
Source: Cinema Blend
