2001 film by Simon West
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider is a 2001 action adventure film directed by Simon West, based on the Tomb Raider video game series by Core Design. An international co-production between the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Japan and Germany, the film stars Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft, with the cast also featuring Jon Voight, Iain Glen, Noah Taylor, and Daniel Craig. The story revolves around Lara Croft trying to obtain ancient artifacts in competition with the Illuminati.
Development of a film based on the Tomb Raider franchise began when Paramount Pictures acquired the film rights to the series in 1998. Originally intended for release in 2000, the project went through numerous scripts and screenwriters, resulting in production delays. Lara's sex appeal was scaled down for the film following pressure from franchise owner Eidos Interactive and to ensure a PG-13 rating. Filming took place in Cambodia and England from July to November 2000.
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider was theatrically released on June 15, 2001. It received mostly negative reviews, with criticism for the plot and action sequences, although Jolie was praised for her performance. It grossed $274.7 million worldwide, making it one of the highest-grossing video game adaptations. A sequel, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life, was released in 2003, with Jolie reprising her role.
Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.