Just one quick glance at the filmography of Ben Wheatley, and it’s clear that the director isn’t really keen on doing the same type of project twice. He’s gone from disturbing road trip film (“Sightseers”) to ‘70s action (“Free Fire”) to zombies (the upcoming “Generation Z”). So, why not tackle the sequel to a mildly successful video game adaptation?
READ MORE: ‘Tomb Raider’ Sequel Starring Alicia Vikander Being Developed With ‘High-Rise’ Writer
According to Deadline, that’s exactly what Wheatley is bound to do next, as he’s just signed on to direct the upcoming sequel to “Tomb Raider.” Released in 2018, the Roar Uthaug-directed film, starring Alicia Vikander, went on to earn a not-great-to-decent $275 million worldwide, leaving the option for a sequel on the table if Lionsgate wanted to take the risk. And when you have Wheatley interested in the project, you might as well take a chance.
As surprising as it is to see Wheatley attached to a franchise sequel, we probably should have seen it coming. Back in April, it was announced that Amy Jump had signed on to write the script for the new film. And considering Jump is married to Wheatley, perhaps the studio had the inside track to land the filmmaker. The duo has previously worked on films together, including the acclaimed “High-Rise.”
2018’s “Tomb Raider” may not have been the massive box office success that the studio wanted, but reviews of the action film were pretty good, especially when it came to Vikander’s performance in the lead role. The film follows in the footsteps of the previous adaptation of the popular video game franchise, starring Angelina Jolie as the British adventurer, Lara Croft.
The untitled “Tomb Raider” sequel is expected to begin production in early 2020 for a planned March 19, 2021 release date.