Home / Arts and Entertainment / Lara Croft: From Pixels to Global Icon
Lara Croft: From Pixels to Global Icon
26 Jan
Summary
- Lara Croft began as a concept to counter male dominance in action games.
- Her character evolved from game design to film and animation, impacting culture.
- The franchise continues with new games, movies, and a live-action series.
Originally conceived by Toby Gard as a response to the male-dominated action-adventure game scene, Lara Croft debuted as a witty and physically capable British heiress. Her first game, Tomb Raider, released on Sony's PlayStation, utilized advanced 3-D capabilities and became a bestseller due to its unique gameplay and cinematic aesthetic.
Gard's vision for Croft clashed with publisher Eidos' marketing, which sexualized the character as a pinup. Despite this, Croft became a mainstream celebrity, appearing in commercials and touring with U2. Core Design faced tight deadlines, and Gard eventually left due to creative control issues.
Over the years, the franchise saw various iterations, including a poorly received PlayStation 2 title by Core Design and a successful reboot by Crystal Dynamics. This reboot reimagined Croft for a new generation, with writer Rhianna Pratchett focusing on a more relatable, grounded character.
Croft's cinematic presence grew with films starring Angelina Jolie and later Alicia Vikander, with the latter's origin story loosely based on the 2013 game. A Netflix anime series, Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft, further expanded her universe.
Looking ahead, Crystal Dynamics and Amazon Game Studios announced two new games, Tomb Raider: Catalyst and Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis. Additionally, a live-action TV series starring Sophie Turner as Croft is anticipated, with familiar characters like Winston set to appear.
