MGM no longer holds rights to produce the Tomb Raider film franchise, which has spawned three movies with the most recent in 2018 starring Alicia Vikander. The actress is no longer attached to a planned sequel, and Graham King’s GK Films is now shopping rights and seeking a new lead, Deadline has confirmed.

A bidding battle is underway, we hear. Stay tuned for who comes out on top.

Angelina Jolie kicked off the film series in 2001 with Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, spawning a sequel two years later, Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, both via Paramount Vikander took on the role for the Roar Uthaug-directed reboot which grossed $274.7 million at the worldwide box office for distributor Warner Bros.

A sequel to that movie had been in the works since 2019 with Vikander set to return. Ben Wheatley and more recently Lovecraft Country‘s Misha Green had been attached to direct, the latter as late as last year. MGM even had a release date: March 2021, smack in the middle of the Covid pandemic.

King acquired film rights to the original video game property from Square Enix Ltd. in 2011. The action-adventure game was a massive hit after its 1996 debut, spawning multiple sequel games and eventually the Jolie-starring movie adaptations.

MGM has been recalibrating since being acquired by Amazon in an $8.5 billion deal that closed in May.

TheWrap first reported news of the rights auction today.

Must Read Stories

Toronto Film Festival Lineup Set With ‘Causeway’, ‘The Menu’, ‘Devotion’ & More

Layoffs Loom With Company Shuttering Its UK Division Amid Lionsgate Partnership Talks

‘Creed’ Spinoff ‘Drago’ In Works At MGM; Robert Lawton Penning Script

Pilot Update: ‘Son In Law’ & Kay Oyegun Drama Axed; ‘Will Trent’, ‘Company You Keep’ In Play

Read More About:

Source: Read Full Article