How was it having that trilogy of games as your narrative foundation?
She is full of grief and does something so horrible as to usher in the apocalypse.
Its great because, as a TV show, you cant just have someone on an island.
They can be the voice of the audience saying, Hey, Lara!
Snap out of it!
Are you really going to do that crazy thing right now?
Is that the best way to handle your problems?
Shes so funny in the early games, but we have to build her to that.
They allow for the comedy as shes moving into that person.
How was it building the world and its locations around this story?
For me and the writers, it was all about the history driving the locations.
We always want to ground it in something real.
How did you want to strike a balance with the violence and tone of the series?
We wanted the show to be for everyone.
The show is animated by Powerhouse Animation Studios, which also did the acclaimedCastlevaniaseries.
I never had to explain Laras physicality or her unique penchant for randomly flipping to get to places.
Youd get it back and be like, Hell yeah!
You clearly playedTomb Raider: Legendand knew that one moment.
We could all nerd out about this and what it should be.
Its a fine balance, but its super cool how big fans they were.
What are your own earliest memories of Lara Croft andTomb Raider?
My earliest memories are being terrified and having nightmares of T-rexes, velociraptors, and sharks.
How did we do this as kids?
Shadow of the Tomb Raider and the 2013 game are probably my second and third favorite games.
Tomb Raideris approaching its 30th anniversary.
What do you think it is aboutTomb Raiderand Lara Croft that stays relevant and stands the test of time?
I feel like its different for everybody.
You ask somebody, and its almost always something different that they hang onto about Lara.
Shes so incredibly capable.
There is something so freaking cool about her.
That aspirational feeling is there because you wish you could be as brave and cool as she is.
Shes just fucking cool.
I think thats another reason why she stands the test of time: shes just cool.
Weve seen Angelina Jolie, Alicia Vikander, and Camilla Luddington put their own spins on Lara Croft.
What do you think Hayley Atwell uniquely brings to Lara with her performance in this show?
I think Hayley is the perfect person for the bridge that were talking about.
Shes like, I jumped out of a plane just last week.
I know what this sounds like!
She has that combo of the things that were exactly what we were looking for.
She was the perfect person for the bridge section that were doing.
While Lara certainly is in tombs and raiding them, shes also clearly not pilfering other cultures treasures.
That was apparent in the movies and in all of the games.
If that becomes your foundation, you understand that Lara is justified in being wherever she is.
Keepsakes from her travels are important, so how do you do that without her stealing them?
The people she helps, and she helps plenty of them, are going to gift her things.
What are you the most proud of getting to add to the continuing legacy ofTomb Raider?
Developed by Tasha Huo, Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft premieres Oct. 10 on Netflix.
