“Star Wars” Daisy Ridley to topline “Tomb Raider” reboot

PanARMENIAN.Net - Newcomer Daisy Ridley may have hit the motherlode of film franchises when the then-virtual unknown was cast in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but the 23-year-old Brit actress is in the running for another icon: Lara Croft. Deadline understands that the fresh-faced Ridley is one of a number of actresses being considered for the Tomb Raider reboot that Warner Bros and MGM are partnering on to produce and release, with GK Films’ Graham King producing.

While conversations have taken place, this is still very early and there have been no official negotiations or offer yet, with the producers keeping their options wide open at this stage, Deadline said. This is one of THE plum gigs out there for a young actress. The role was famously played by Angelina Jolie at her most kick-ass and pneumatic. Based on the long-running video game franchise, Tomb Raider follows the English archaeologist Lara Croft through a series of adventures heavily inspired by Indiana Jones (and, to a lesser extent, Allan Quartermaine).

The latest adaptation, which has been in development for several years, received a jolt of adrenaline when the video game series was rebooted by game developer Square Enix with 2013’s Tomb Raider, which depicted Croft’s first adventure as an archaeology student, and follow-up Rise Of The Tomb Raider. That younger take on the character’s origin and path to derring-do are believed to have given the film’s producers some creative guidance.

Cassidy Lange is overseeing for MGM, with Drew Crevello doing so for Warners. Denis O’Sullivan of GK Films is overseeing the production.

Ridley is currently shooting Star Wars: Episode VIII. Her only confirmed post-Star Wars gig to date is her coming aboard The Eagle Huntress documentary as an exec producer.