A New Era For Lara Croft As The Role Changes Hands

The role of Lara Croft is entering another transition, with Lara Croft actress Camilla Luddington formally stepping away after a decade-long run that defined the modern version of the character. Luddington confirmed her departure following the announcement that Alix Wilton Regan will take over the role in Crystal Dynamics and Amazon’s next phase of the franchise, beginning with Tomb Raider Catalyst and extending to the newly revealed remake, Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis.

Luddington first assumed the role in 2013’s Tomb Raider reboot, a project that reframed Lara Croft as younger, less assured, and shaped by survival rather than legacy. That portrayal continued through Rise of the Tomb Raider in 2015 and concluded with Shadow of the Tomb Raider in 2018. Across the trilogy, Luddington’s performance became closely associated with the Survivor era, influencing not only the tone of the games but also the character’s broader public image during the 2010s.

After The Game Awards revealed Regan as the next Lara Croft, Luddington published a farewell message reflecting on her time with the character and the community that followed it.

“To join the list of Lara Crofts before me was an incredible honour and she will forever be a part of me. The Survivor Trilogy was a decade of adventure I will never ever forget. I could not be prouder of what we created,” — Camilla Luddington

Her message acknowledged the continuity of the role rather than treating the change as a conclusion. Luddington directly addressed Regan, noting the handover as part of an ongoing lineage rather than a replacement. The tone was celebratory rather than retrospective, emphasizing pride in the work rather than distance from it.

Regan responded soon after, framing her casting as a career milestone and signaling confidence in what lies ahead for the franchise.

“Being revealed as Lara Croft is the absolute highlight of my career. It has surpassed even my wildest dreams. This Lara Croft just wanted to say thank you, and get excited. We are just getting started guys,” — Alix Wilton Regan

Regan’s casting positions her as the face of a significant expansion period for Tomb Raider. Tomb Raider Catalyst, announced at The Game Awards, will send Lara to Northern India and is scheduled for release in 2027 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and Steam. The project represents a full mainline continuation rather than a spin-off, placing Regan’s performance at the center of the franchise’s next narrative arc.

Alongside Catalyst, Regan will also voice Lara Croft in Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, a ground-up remake of the original 1996 game. The remake revisits Lara’s search for the Scion of Atlantis across multiple regions, including Peru, Greece, Egypt, and the Mediterranean. Unlike last year’s remastered collection, Legacy of Atlantis is being rebuilt with Unreal Engine 5 and a more cinematic presentation, blending classic iconography with modern design sensibilities. Lara’s visual design reflects this balance, combining her original outfit with elements introduced during the Survivor trilogy.

Regan enters the role with an established history in high-profile games. Her previous performances include Aya in Assassin’s Creed Origins, Alt Cunningham in Cyberpunk 2077, and Lea in Lies of P: Overture. She was also attached to portray Joanna Dark in the cancelled Perfect Dark reboot. That background positions her as a familiar presence within large-scale narrative-driven games, aligning with Crystal Dynamics’ stated ambitions for the franchise.

The Lara Croft actress transition is also unfolding alongside broader multimedia plans. Amazon is developing a live-action Tomb Raider television series written by Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Filming is expected to begin next month, with Sophie Turner cast as Lara Croft. The series exists separately from the games but reflects the same strategy of expanding the character across formats simultaneously. Sigourney Weaver, who has been cast in a major role, recently commented on the project’s tone, praising the scripts for their humor and sharpness.

Together, these announcements outline a coordinated reset rather than a reboot. Luddington’s exit closes a chapter closely tied to the Survivor trilogy, while Regan’s arrival coincides with both forward-looking sequels and a reimagining of the franchise’s origins. The change in Lara Croft actress is less about replacing a voice than repositioning the character for a new generation of stories, platforms, and audiences.

We’ve reported before the announcement that Industry insider Shinobi602 indicated that more than one Tomb Raider announcement was planned for The Game Awards 2025, a claim later supported by host Geoff Keighley’s confirmation that a new Lara Croft game would appear at the show.