TheTomb Raiderreboot has unearthed a villain to take on a young Lara Croft, played by Oscar winnerAlicia Vikander.Walton Goggins, who’s no stranger to antagonist roles, is said to be in final negotiations to join the film.
Varietywas the first to report the news, though there’s no other information beyond the character’s villainous intentions. The film already has a director inRoar Uthaug(The Wave) and a script fromGeneva Robertson-Dworet(the upcomingDungeons & Dragonsreboot), and with Goggins in play, more casting will probably come to light in the near future.
Early on, word was that the newTomb Raiderwould take inspiration from the most recent video games, and it’s since been confirmed to focus on a much younger Lara before she became a seasoned adventurer. I imagine Goggins will play some sort of rival archaeologist or corrupt billionaire looking to scoop up some lost treasure, but the games themselves have slightly deviated from the typical fair of foes we’ve seen in the era ofAngelina Jolie.
Tomb Raiderfrom 2013 saw Lara traveling to the mysterious island of Yamatai, where she encountered a cult looking to awaken a goddess through a ritual sacrifice. In the more recent gameRise of the Tomb Raider, she had a more expected adversary: a paramilitary organization in Siberia trying to beat her in the search for the legendary city of Kitezh and reach its promise of immortality. However, Goggins’ role could be linked to Lara’s father, since film producerGraham Kingsaidthe new story is about a “search to see if her father is dead or alive.”
Tomb Raiderhas a release date for August 24, 2025, which means MGM will film sometime next year if they hope to make that deadline. Vikander has already finished work on most of her upcoming projects, includingSubmergence(withJames McAvoyandCharlotte Rampling) andEuphoria(withEva GreenandCharles Dance), so she’s ready for an adventure of her own.
