Director Kathryn Bigelow Linked With Tomb Raider Reboot
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- September 21, 2015
- Mark Hodge
Video game film adaptation Tomb Raider is being rebooted by Warner Bros., who reportedly has three female directors in their sights.
According to Tracking Board, the studio's shortlist includes filmmakers Kathryn Bigelow, Catherine Hardwicke and Mimi Leder.
There have been two previous Tomb Raider films, both of which starred Angelina Jolie and were directed by Simon West and Jan de Bont, respectively.
The original films, released in 2001 and 2003, collectively grossed around $430 million worldwide, but were generally regarded as style over substance.
The central character, Lara Croft, is essentially a female hyper-sexualised Indiana Jones, something which Jolie managed to exploit effectively.
However, judging by their list of potential helmers, WB clearly want to go down a more mature route with the reboot.
Oscar winning director Bigelow is obviously the biggest name out of the three having enjoyed considerable success with Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty.
For my money, no one can direct action better than the Point Break filmmaker and she would be a terrific acquisition if Warners were to sign her.
Catherine Hardwicke will also be seen as a safe pair of hands, having directed the first Twilight movie, which grossed $392 million from a $37 million outlay.
Mimi Leder is the most surprising entry on the list, having worked on mostly in television since helming high profile movies The Peacemaker and Deep Impact in the 1990s.
Warner Bros. wants to hire woman directors for their female-orientated properties, having recently signed Patty Jenkins (Monster) to direct Wonder Woman.
Stay tuned for more Tomb Raider reboot news.
Image: Crystal Dynamics
