Tomb Raider Script Leak Confirms Same-Sex Romance
Get ready for a new chapter of the Tomb Raider franchise, as a leaked script for the next game seemingly confirms a same-sex romance. Well, it's about time. Only recently, we covered how fans are calling for Lara Croft to have a girlfriend, and now, it could be on the way.
Much like the movie rights currently being in limbo, few know what's next for the video game series of the same name. Things have gone quiet since Shadow of the Tomb Raider rounded off the rebooted trilogy in 2018, but like any video game legend, we know she won't be gone for long.
What Is The Tomb Raider Script Leak?
According to Sacred Symbols, the next Tomb Raider is going under the name Project Jawbreaker and is looking for an athletic British prototype in the vein of Emily Blunt or Rosamund Pike. We'll be leaving the family drama behind, which makes a change from the usual arc with Lara and Richard Croft.
There will reportedly be a more mature Lara who will lead a team of Tomb Raiders. Given that the franchise normally has Lara going it alone, it will be interesting to see how a larger cast would come into play. The leaked script is already dividing fans, with one writing, "This sounds absolutely terrible. Lara should NEVER be working with a team, and making her lonely and a protector of artifacts goes against everything she was created to be. Lara THRIVED being alone, and she pursued artifacts from selfish ambition/ thrill."
That's all well and good - assuming the leak is real - but the big takeaway here is that Lara will have romantic scenes with another woman. This would be a huge move for the franchise - making the video game legend an LGBTQ+ icon. The games have largely steered away from giving Lara a romantic interest, presumably as a way to keep her as a strong and independent woman.
What's Going On With Tomb Raider?
Click to enlargeCrystal Dynamics that the next game has entered pre-production earlier this year. We know it will be built in Unreal Engine 5, meaning it should be a truly new-gen title. The Survivor trilogy was praised as a much-needed return to form for Tomb Raider - after years of middling sequels like Angel of Darkness. This means we're expecting big things from whatever comes next.
With a renewed interest in Tomb Raider, we're at an exciting time. Although we've left the days of Lara's PlayStation exclusivity behind, she's arguably become even bigger as a multi-platform legend. Elsewhere, the Tomb Raider movies are in something of a limbo after MGM's rights went up for grabs and Alicia Vikander left. With both the movies and the games ready to start anew, now seems like the perfect time to give Lara a girlfriend. Come on, you know it makes sense.