Amazon Finally Confirms Sophie Turner as Lara Croft in ‘Tomb Raider’ Series

In a not-so-surprising announcement, Amazon MGM Studios has named the star of its long-gestating Tomb Raider series: Sophie Turner. The lack of shock is because Turner was known to be “nearly set†to sign on as Lara Croft, according to reports from November of last year.

Those same reports noted that Turner had been chosen over the other contender, Bohemian Rhapsody‘s Lucy Boynton, but that the deal wasn’t yet official. Now, Variety confirms that not only is Turner set for the part, but also the series will begin shooting January 19, 2026. That’s a big step forward for the show, which was first announced in early 2023, greenlit in May 2024, and then—as mentioned above—rumored to have found its Lara in late 2024.

There’s also some behind-the-scenes news to add: while Indiana Jones film vet Phoebe Waller-Bridge (whose other TV credits include Fleabag and Killing Eve) is still the show’s creator, writer, and executive producer, she’ll now have an assist from Chad Hodge (Wayward Pines, Good Behavior) as co-showrunner and executive producer.

“It’s not very often you get to make a show of this scale with a character you grew up loving,†Waller-Bridge said in a statement to the trade. “Everyone on board is wildly passionate about Lara and are all as outrageous, brave, and hilarious as she is. Get your artifacts out… Croft is coming…â€

So far there’s no release date for this latest Tomb Raider iteration, but given the filming start date, 2027 feels like a solid guess.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.