Right, folks. Let’s settle a century-old archaeological debate: what is the hardest artifact to unearth in modern pop culture? Is it the Holy Grail? The Ark of the Covenant? Or is it, perhaps, a new, universally approved Lara Croft?
This week, Prime Video lobbed a grenade—shaped like a very stylish green tank top—into the middle of that debate, finally revealing our first look at Sophie Turner as the iconic tomb raider. And the internet, in its infinite wisdom, promptly did what it does best: it exploded, but in a surprisingly positive, mostly polygon-related way.
Gone is Sansa Stark’s weary poise. In a single, striking image released to mark the start of production, we see Turner in full classic Lara regalia: combat shorts, holster strapped to her thigh, and an expression that says she’s just found a priceless relic and is already annoyed by the henchmen trying to steal it. The response from fans was swift and ecstatic. “My God… she looks like she stepped out of the games,” one user gasped on X. Another declared, “I’ve got full faith… I just can’t get over how phenomenal she looks”. The consensus? For a character born in blocky 1996 PlayStation graphics, Turner’s look is a pitch-perfect, grounded evolution.
But this isn’t just a fancy dress-up party. This reveal is the culmination of a grueling, sweat-drenched, and hilariously honest transformation. Let’s dig into the dirt.
The Training Montage No One Saw Coming (Because It Was So Brutal)
To understand the scale of Turner’s transformation, we need to rewind. The actress, best known for ruling the North in Game of Thrones and navigating teen angst as Jean Grey in the X-Men films, recently made a startling confession. She was, by her own admission, not exactly a gym rat. In fact, before landing the role of Lara, her fitness regimen was… let’s call it “minimalist.”
“I’ve learned I have a perpetual back problem,” Turner revealed on SiriusXM’s The Julia Cunningham Show, before dropping the bombshell about her pre-Lara life. “I also realized that it’s much easier to kind of build muscle if you’ve ever worked out before in your life, which I never had”.
So, what does a former Queen in the North do when tasked with becoming one of gaming’s ultimate action heroes? She signs up for the cinematic equivalent of boot camp. For the past year, Turner has been training for a staggering eight hours a day, five days a week. Let that sink in. That’s a full-time job of pure, unadulterated physical punishment. While the rest of us were debating what to have for lunch, Turner was probably learning how to do a backflip off a crumbling temple wall.
In a wonderfully self-deprecating moment, she was asked if her experience playing Sansa Stark—a character who endured immense physical and psychological trauma—gave her any advantage. Turner’s reply was pure gold: “No, I was the cool queen who, like, didn’t have to do that. I also just kind of was the one that got beat up, not the one doing the beating. So, it’s quite nice to learn how to throw a punch and not just take it”. The student has truly become the master.
Stepping Into Iconic (and Very Pointy) Boots
Of course, Turner isn’t the first to chart these jungles. The shadow of Angelina Jolie’s early-2000s, dual-pistol-wielding, movie-star swagger looms large. Then there’s Alicia Vikander’s gritty 2018 reboot, which gave us a younger, more vulnerable Lara. Turner is acutely aware of the legacy she’s joining.
“They’re massive shoes to fill,” she admitted, acknowledging the “powerhouse performances” of her predecessors. But she’s not just filling shoes; she’s breaking in a whole new pair for a fresh adaptation spearheaded by none other than Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Yes, the genius behind Fleabag is the creator, writer, and executive producer of this series. If anyone can inject Lara Croft with a lethal dose of witty, deadpan humor and complex emotional depth, it’s Waller-Bridge.
“Tomb Raider boasts a plethora of iconic characters,” Waller-Bridge said. “I am thrilled to have been able to bring some personal and fan favourites to the screen while also introducing a few new rascals of our own to the mix”. This promises a series that respects the games’ lore—featuring canon characters like tech guru Zip (Martin Bobb-Semple) and the unflappable butler Winston (Bill Paterson)—while also weaving in brand-new allies and adversaries.
Speaking of adversaries, the cast list reads like a “Who’s Who” of brilliant character actors. Sigourney Weaver joins as the mysterious Evelyn Wallis, a “high-flying woman” keen to exploit Lara’s talents. Jason Isaacs plays Lara’s uncle, Atlas DeMornay. The ensemble is rounded out by talents like Celia Imrie, Paterson Joseph, and Sasha Luss. It’s the kind of cast that makes you think this won’t just be an action romp, but a seriously well-acted drama.
Why This Lara Could Be the One We’ve Been Digging For
So, what can we expect from this new incarnation? The first-look photo offers clues. This isn’t Jolie’s ultra-glamorous, almost cartoonish superheroine, nor is it solely Vikander’s origin-story survivor. Turner’s Lara appears to be a synthesis: practical, capable, and etched with a determined grit. She looks like someone who has already been through the wringer, learned from it, and is now ready to take on the world’s darkest secrets on her own terms.
This comes at a perfect time for the franchise. The gaming world is also preparing for a Lara resurgence, with two new titles—Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis and Tomb Raider: Catalyst—slated for 2026 and 2027. Furthermore, Amazon seems to have cracked the code on video game adaptations after the roaring success of Fallout, and is now boldly swinging its pickaxe at other titans like God of War.
The journey from the cold halls of Winterfell to the treacherous ruins of a lost civilization is complete. Sophie Turner has done the hard yards, both physically and psychologically, to step into one of entertainment’s most formidable roles. With Phoebe Waller-Bridge crafting the adventure and a legendary cast backing her up, this Tomb Raider isn’t just another reboot. It looks like the beginning of a bold, smart, and thrilling new era for Lara Croft. And frankly, we can’t wait to see her throw that first punch.
Tomb Raider is currently in production for Prime Video.
by SAM RIGHT