Tomb Raider Movies In Order [How to Watch]

The famous Tomb Raider Games have inspired a series of successful films that have been enjoyed by audiences worldwide. And if you have played video games or seen movies, you know a lot of action and adventure are involved.

Even if you haven’t played the game but are a fan of Angela Jolie, you must have heard about the Tom Raider franchise. The franchise stars Angelina Jolie as the daring and skilled archaeologist Lara Croft, who goes on dangerous adventures in search of lost artifacts.

The three Tomb Raider movies did a pretty good job at the box office; with the lead actor Angela, the film successfully made three parts, and they all have a cult following now.

The first “Tomb Raider” film was released in 2001, followed by two sequels: “Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life” in 2003 and “Tomb Raider “(2018).

If you’re looking for a mindless action flick, then the Tomb Raider series is worth checking out.

In this blog post, we have listed the Tomb Raider Trilogy with a detailed description of each film so that you can watch them in the order of release.

Tomb Raider Movies Of The Release Date

• Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)
• Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle Of Life (2003)
• Tomb Raider film (2018)

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)

The first film in the Tomb Raider franchise is “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider,” released in 2001. The film is based on the first tomb raider game and stars Angelina Jolie as the main protagonist Lara Croft.

In the film Tomb Raider ii, we see that Lara is an expert archaeologist who a wealthy businessman hires to find a lost artifact called “The Triangle Of Light.”

The film’s story starts when Lara, an adventurer, defeats a robot in an Egyptian tomb revealed only to be a training exercise arena located on her family’s estate. In Venice, the first phase of a planetary alignment begins, and the Illuminati search for the half of a key to join two mysterious artifacts known as “the Triangle.” The final phase, which is a solar eclipse, must be completed. Manfred Powell assures those involved that they are close to completing the artifact, but he has yet to learn its location.

Lara has a dream in which her long-missing and presumed-dead father, Lord Richard Croft, appears to her. The film is filled with adventure and mystery as we see Lara Croft travel to different locations to find the missing artifact.

Directed by Simon West, the movie stars Jon Voight and Iain Glen, with Angeline Jolie as the lead actress. The film was released during the Original Era when Lara Croft was at its peak and came out six months after “Tomb Raider Chronicles,” the fifth game in the series.

The film was a commercial success, grossing over $274 million at the box office against its $115 million budget. However, It received mixed reviews from critics but was praised for its visuals and Jolie’s performance as Lara Croft.

Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle Of Life (2003)

The sequel to the first movie, “Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life,” was released closer to the game’s release date and featured Angelina Jolie. However, its release was still much later than anticipated by fans.

The Cradle of Life was released a few weeks after the game it’s based on, with stateside previews at the end of July. This meant that both the game and movie sequels debuted within six weeks rather than six months – a perfect opportunity for the film to get hit. But the film did not perform as expected, and the reception for the game was terrible, which would later be blamed for its correlation to poor performance from the movie compared to its predecessor.

The Cradle of Life may look like your typical adventure story involving artifact hunting, but it is much more. Lara Croft uncovers some mysterious artifacts in a temple in Greece after an earthquake reveals them. However, when one of the artifacts is stolen by crime lords involved with a Chinese syndicate, she soon realizes that it holds the key to finding the Cradle of Life – a place that contains Pandora’s Box.

The film had a fantastic collection of locations, from Greece to Hong Kong, and the action sequences were some of the best in any Tomb Raider movie. Unfortunately, the plot could have been more apparent and made more sense, even if you were familiar with the games.

The Cradle of Life grossed $156 million at the box office against its $95 million budget, a good return but less than the first film. The movie was again met with mixed reviews, with some critics enjoying it and others panning it.

If you have watched the first movie, try the second one. It’s not as good as the first, but it’s still an enjoyable watch.”

Tomb Raider film (2018)

The third and final movie in the series was released fifteen years after the previous film, directed by Roar Uthaug, and was based on the 2013 game of the same name. This time, Alicia Vikander stars as Lara Croft in the third installment of the Tomb Raider film series, which includes some elements from previous films and a reboot.

The film begins with Lara accepting her inheritance, an event she had put off as she believed her father was still alive. However, upon exploring Croft Manor, the family estate, she comes across research conducted by her father on Himiko – a Queen said to control the power of life and death.

Although there was a video warning from her father telling her to destroy the information immediately, Lara decided to follow the trail.

The film had all, from beautiful locations to fantastic action sequences and a great story, except

It was a smaller success than the first two movies but still grossed over $275 million at the box office. Critics praised Vikander’s performance and called the film an improvement over its predecessors.

If you are a fan of the original Tomb Raider or the games, I recommend watching this one.

It’s hard to believe that it has been almost 25 years since the first Tomb Raider movie was released. In that time, we have seen Lara Croft evolve from a plucky archaeologist into a seasoned adventurer. And while the franchise has had its ups and downs, the Tomb Raider movies are still some of the most entertaining action-adventure films.

FAQs About Tomb Raider Movies

Are all Tomb Raider movies connected?

Apart from the same character in the first two films, the stories of all the movies and games are different and do not connect.

Is Tomb Raider originally a game or a movie?

The first game was released in 1996, and the movie was released in 2001. The game inspires the film, but the first film’s storyline was not based on any of the games.

Which Tomb Raider should I watch first?

If you are interested in watching the films, start with the first one. However, if you want to start with the games, I recommend playing the 2013 game, as it is a franchise reboot.

What is a Tomb Raider meaning?

A “Tomb Raider” is someone who plunders ancient tombs and ruins for treasure. The term can also be used more broadly to refer to anyone who explores dangerous or remote areas in search of adventure.

How many movies does Tomb Raider have?

The series has three films based on the original games of Tomb Raider. The first Tomb Raider movie was released in 2001 and starred Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft, while the second movie, The Cradle of Life, was released in 2003. The third and most recent movie, titled Tomb Raider, was released in 2018 and starred Alicia Vikander as the new Lara Croft.

All three movies are action-packed adventures that keep you entertained from beginning to end.

Will there be more Tomb Raider movies?

There is no word yet on whether or not there will be more Tomb Raider movies. However, given the success of the 2018 film, we will likely see more of Lara Croft’s adventures on the big screen in the future.

Is Tomb Raider and Lara Croft the same?

The Tomb Raider franchise began with an action-adventure video game series created by British gaming company Core Design. The main character of the series is Lara Croft, a tomb raider who scavenges ancient and historical artifacts from tombs and ruins.

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