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Adapting a video game to a live-action setting is harder than lighting a fire under the rain, and no one can deny that. Out of all the fandoms out there, the video game hardcore are extremely protective. With certain franchises, a slight change will make everyone get their torches and pitchforks out. Now, with the recent announcement of a Tomb Raider TV show by Amazon and Crystal Dynamics, it’s hard not to wonder which timeline it’ll adapt or if it’ll go in a different direction. Personally, I feel sticking to one particular timeline will do wonders for fans and newcomers alike.
The Upcoming Tomb Raider TV Show Should Stick to the Recent Games’ Timeline
Whether you’re a veteran or a rookie in the Tomb Raider universe, let me give you a rundown of how things work in the convoluted timeline. There isn’t one, but three timelines that developers have worked with through the years. The first one, encompassing all games launched from 1996 to 2003 and those in the Remastered collection of 2024, is considered the Original timeline. The next one, called the Legend timeline, includes Legend, Anniversary, and Underworld. Finally, the Survivor timeline, which is the most recent one, features Tomb Raider, Rise of the Tomb Raider, and Shadow of the Tomb Raider.
You might ask yourself: “Is it really necessary to know all this for the Tomb Raider TV Show?” Yes! I feel it’s quite important because, depending on the timeline, the take on Lara Croft as a character differs a lot. For instance, while all three timelines feature recurring characters, their relationships with Lara change depending on each. In Legend, Lara’s father was around her constantly, whereas in Survivor, he wasn’t around and neglected her, turning Lara into quite the chaotic, attention-seeking child. But beyond that, Lara’s origins, ambitions, and goals are much more engaging in the recent video games.
The Survivor Timeline Is The Best Take on Lara Croft
We can all agree the classic titles before Tomb Raider in 2013 had a lot of charm and set the foundation for this iconic archeologist. Yet, the Survivor timeline does its best to show us a Lara Croft starting from the bottom and slowly growing as the character we all know and love. If Amazon goes down this timeline for the Tomb Raider TV show, it’ll be fantastic for onboarding new people while appealing to game fans who also loved the 2013 reboot.
Furthermore, we can see that this is something that worked with The Last of Us. In the TV show, HBO adapted the game and switched the timeline a bit but stayed true to the source material. Amazon could do the same by sticking to the Survivor timeline, while tweaking a few things for newcomers and also pleasing veteran players.
A New Timeline Might Be a Hit or Miss
On the other hand, there’s also the debate for a new timeline for the Tomb Raider TV show, which could work if Amazon takes its time with it. Why do I mention it could be a hit or miss? Think about it. Lara Croft already has a personality. Yes, it changes considerably between timelines, and fans take a lot of time to adapt to a new iteration. Another take on Lara could be great, assuming the writers and producers don’t lose the character’s essence.
Beyond that, a new timeline could also bring our favorite archeologist to new locations that haven’t been explored in games, which is an exciting thought as well. However, we’ve seen other media try to take a new spin on certain video game franchises, and they tend to crash and burn like — and it still hurts me to think about it — Resident Evil: Welcome to Racoon City. So, if the studio goes down this road, they should tread lightly and consider fans’ expectations before making the show an eye-rolling event for everyone.
Ultimately, we’ll have to wait and see what the producers and writers have in store for us. Yet, one thing’s for sure: fans won’t like a bad take on this beloved franchise. While it might work for new people, I’d love it if the studio stuck to something already established. Experimenting with things that don’t follow the source material can turn into a train wreck, and we don’t want a Game of Thrones season eight situation, do we?
