Lara Croft dominated the 90’s as a powerful and strong heroine within the video game world. Characters like Lara (strong female figures) were not commonly found in video games due to the gaming industry being male-dominated but the series is considered one of the most successful within the industry.

Alessa Ringo ‘18 has been playing Tomb Raider throughout her childhood: “I have always loved Lara Croft because she is totally awesome. She’s so raw and ridiculously strong.”

Emile Meunier ‘18 had this to say on the series: “Lara Croft is wicked. The games are awesome but I really enjoy the female representation within the gaming world because a lot of games are male-dominated. It’s definitely paving the way for change.”

Tomb Raider’s legacy didn’t end there. Angelina Jolie, a pop-culture divinity, portrayed the Lara Croft in movies during the early 2000’s and garnered much success. In 2013, a new Tomb Raider game released that explained Lara Croft’s origin story and sold more than 11 million copies on 4 gaming platforms. The sequel, Rise of the Tomb Raider, has sold almost 10 million copies. Although the Tomb Raider Franchise has essentially dominated the gaming world, it is now coming back to dominate the movie industry. Coming out on March 16th is a new, rebooted version of Lara Croft in Tomb Raider, featuring Alicia Vikander playing the heroine herself. This movie is quite similar to the rebooted game that was released in 2013 because tells the story of how Lara Croft became the well known Tomb Raider that many have come to love. The movie is not only a a way to keep the Tomb Raider legend alive but it is also a demonstration of female power and strength especially during this sensitive time in regards to gender roles and women’s rights. Lara Croft was a symbol for female strength in her first games during the 90’s and remains a feminist icon to this day. Tomb Raider comes out March 16th and will be absolutely spectacular. Go watch it!