In 1993, before they were acquired by Eidos, a little games developer in Derby called Core Design were working on their new action adventure game. It was an Indiana Jones-style 3D platformer; revolutionary for its time, and not just because of the immense 3D world and cleverly designed levels, but the protagonist was a woman.

Her name was Lara Croft, and the game was Tomb Raider.

In the mid-90s, Lara Croft became a virtual celebrity, and while Eidos demanded more and more Tomb Raider games, the wheels were in motion to give Lara the cinematic outings she deserved.

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider had a revolving door of writers, and a special clause in the contract between Eidos and Paramount, which meant production had to start, and start quickly. Director Simon West only wanted Angelina Jolie for the main role, and ended up putting together a two-hour plus first cut. The problem was, Paramount hated it, ended up firing West and getting in one of Hollywood's most famous fixers to save the movie...

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life was the opportunity to fix the mistakes of the previous movie. Angelina Jolie had refused to return unless Lara was more well-rounded, so Lara was given more personality, more character and more stakes. The budget would be smaller, but the director would be a coup - Jan de Bont. This time there was one writer, a lead actress who was happier with the direction of her character, and no issues with editing, however the experience would lead to Jan de Bont retiring from directing...

I would love to hear your thoughts on Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) & Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life (2003) !

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