Alicia Vikander Is Lara Croft In Tomb Raider First Look

There's a new Lara Croft in town in the first look from Roar Uthaug's Tomb Raider reboot. In the new image from the upcoming movie (released to GQ), Ex Machina star Alicia Vikander takes over for the role originated by Angelina Jolie, and she looks pretty badass doing it.

Tomb Raider is currently wrapping up filming in South Africa, and the production will next move to London to continue shooting ahead of a 2018 release. While not many plot details are known, Uthaug said it will be an origin story that shows the "complete journey" of Lara Croft from inexperienced hero to tomb raider, something which is inspired by her "search for answers." The director said the film will differentiate itself from Jolie's portrayal of the character by showing more about her "origin and development" and by looking deeper into "her humanity," aside from just looking at her action prowess.

"I've seen the [Jolie] films–they were a lot of fun and Angelina Jolie was a terrific Lara Croft," he said. "We are [making] a very different film, an origin story, and I think fans will love Alicia in the role... As an origin story, this movie will introduce Lara as a young woman who hasn't yet found her way and her place in the world; a young woman with great spirit and potential. We follow her struggles and her journey toward becoming the person she was meant to be and earning the role of Tomb Raider."

The movie will be inspired by the 2013 reboot of the video game, and Uthaug said that there will be many "touchstones" from the game throughout the movie. There will also be elements of the 2015 sequel Rise of the Tomb Raider. However, the film will shy away from the heavy CGI and special effects of other recent video game adaptations, instead taking a "more realistic, grounded approach." "Lara Croft is a hero and a champion but she is not a superhero," said Uthaug. "She is very much human, and we see her deal with that humanity in many ways."

Although the movie will delve deeper into Lara's character, it will also still be heavy on the action, with the character "pushed to her physical and emotional limits" again and again. "Action always serves the story and the character development," said Uthaug. "Our goal with Tomb Raider is the kind of action that feels real and visceral and will resonate with audiences in a powerful way. We want to put the audience right in the middle of the action."

The director is clearly trying to accomplish quite a bit with the film, and a lot of it rests on Vikander's shoulders. Uthaug praised her performance, and said she "lights up the screen" as the heroine. "She brings great depth and humanity to this character, and great passion, while simultaneously delivering the intense physical action that the role demands."

The Tomb Raider reboot is due out on March 16, 2018. The cast also includes Dominic West as Lara's father, Daniel Wu as a ship captain who helps Lara find her father, and Walton Goggins as the villain. While we wait, find out why the movie will actually be better than you think.