GK FILMS REBOOTS TOMB RAIDER FILM FRANCHISE
In a pre-emptive strike, GK Films has come on board to acquire the feature film rights to TOMB RAIDER and will reboot the successful action-adventure franchise aiming for a 2013 release for the first film.
Produced by Graham King and Tim Headington, the films will create daring new adventures for the young and dynamic Lara Croft.
GK Films acquired the film rights from interactive entertainment company Square Enix Ltd. In Dec 2010, Square Enix subsidiary, Crystal Dynamics, revealed a new game for TOMB RAIDER based around the origins of the Lara Croft story.
“We are very excited to be rebooting what is already a hugely successful film franchise and continuing the TOMB RAIDER phenomenon,” said King.
The original game was published in 1996 by the London based video game company Eidos and became one of the most successful video games of the time. Today Eidos (including Crystal Dynamics), is part of an international interactive entertainment group, Square Enix and the stage is set for this new chapter in TOMB RAIDER history.
A pop culture phenomenon, the original TOMB RAIDER games have sold over 35million game units worldwide and Lara Croft, along with Mario Brothers is the most recognized name in gaming history.
Starring Angelina Jolie, Paramount Pictures made two movies based on the daredevil archaeologist on a series of global missions in 2001 and 2003. They grossed a total of $432m at the worldwide box office.
Senior Vice President, Grey Rembert will oversee the project for GK Films.
GK Films
Graham King launched GK Films in May 2007 with business partner Tim Headington. The company’s feature “The Town,” written and directed by Ben Affleck, was recently released by Warner Bros. on September 17. GK Films also produced “The Tourist,” directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck and starring Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp, which was released by Columbia Pictures on December 10 and has garnered $250m at the worldwide box office to date. Most recently, GK Films produced the animated tale “Rango,” directed by Gore Verbinski and produced with his Blind Wink Productions for Paramount Pictures, which was released on March 4. The company is currently in post-production on the 3-D family film “Hugo Cabret,” directed by Martin Scorsese set for release through Paramount Pictures on November 23rd 2011, and an untitled love story, written and directed by Angelina Jolie.
GK Films recently announced several new projects including the screen adaptation of “Jersey Boys” and the untitled Freddie Mercury story starring Sacha Baron Cohen and written by Peter Morgan. Upcoming releases produced by GK Films include the crime drama London Boulevard, starring Colin Farrell and Keira Knightley and written and directed by Academy Award®-winning screenwriter William Monahan.
Recent GK Films releases include “Edge of Darkness,” and the three-time Academy Award® nominated “The Young Victoria.”
In 2010, Graham King and Tim Headington launched a new division, GK-TV. Run by President Craig Cegielski, GK-TV is dedicated to the development, production and worldwide distribution of television programming. GK-TV’s miniseries “Camelot,” set to premiere on Starz on April1, 2011, stars Joseph Fiennes and Eva Green.
GK Films, in partnership with Peter Schlessel, recently formed FilmDistrict, a multi-faceted studio that encompasses acquisitions, distribution, production and financing on wide release commercial pictures. The company will theatrically distribute several films per year.
GK Films can be found on the World Wide Web at http://gk-films.com.
About Square Enix Ltd.
Square Enix Ltd., a part of the Square Enix Europe business unit, develops, publishes, distributes and licenses SQUARE ENIX®, EIDOS® and TAITO® branded entertainment content in Europe and other PAL territories as part of the Square Enix Group. Square Enix Ltd. also has a global network of leading development studios such as IO Interactive™, Crystal Dynamics® and Eidos Montréal. The Square Enix Group boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property including: FINAL FANTASY®, which has sold over 97 million units worldwide, DRAGON QUEST® which has sold over 54 million units worldwide and TOMB RAIDER® which has sold over 35 million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS®. Square Enix Ltd. is a London-based, wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.
More information on Square Enix Ltd. can be found at http://www.square-enix.com/eu/en/.
Could Angelina Jolie return in GK Films' new 'Tomb Raider'?
New producer's plan an 'origin story' but...
Tuesday, Mar 8, 2011 4:04 AM
Angelina Jolie in "Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life."
The last time video game icon Lara Croft graced the silver screen was in 2003's disappointing "Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life." If producer Graham King has his way, the franchise will return to life in 2013.
According to a release from GK Films, the independent production company has acquired the big screen rights to "Tomb Raider" from interactive entertainment company, Square Enix Ltd. Crystal Dynamics, a subsidiary of Square Enix, is planing a new game for Lara Croft based on the origins of the globetrotting adventurer.
“We are very excited to be rebooting what is already a hugely successful film franchise and continuing the 'Tomb Raider' phenomenon,” said King.
The announcement also says King and co-producer Tim Headington will "create daring new adventures for the young and dynamic Lara Croft."
The odd coincidence in GK Films' news is King's relationship with Angelina Jolie, who starred in the first two "Tomb Raider" films released by Paramount Pictures which grossed $432 million worldwide. Jolie recently appeared in King's hit "The Tourist" and has never closed the door at returning to a character she took quite seriously even if her "Lara Croft" directors didn't. If the new picture is an origin story, would it be that out of the box to see Jolie, still kicking ass at a hardly ancient 35, making a cameo? And since Jolie has been playing a variation of Croft in every action film she's made since, wouldn't one more go around be appropriate?
Considering GK Films has neither a writer or director on board yet, there's more than enough time to work the box office superstar into the game. Never say never.
‘Lara Croft: Tomb Raider’ Returns in 2013
Published by Jeff Leins on March 8, 2011
The new movie(s) will not have any narrative connection to Paramount’s Lara Croft action-adventures in 2001 and 2003 starring Angelina Jolie as the, um, well-endowed character in the signature tank top and short shorts.
Warner Bros picked up the rights in early 2009 with plans of bringing Lara Croft back, but the “re-imagining” never got off the ground. Twilight starlet Kristen Stewart was reportedly offered the gig back when she was being considered for Jolie action movie scraps like Wanted 2. That was a truly terrible idea, up there with rumors of mouthy actress Megan Fox taking over the role.
But GK Films isn’t just some random production company hoping to make a name for itself with an established brand. In 2010 alone, King produced Edge of Darkness, The Town, London Boulevard, and The Tourist. Perhaps it’s possible to revive the scantily clad Lara Croft as a kick-ass heroine, but who could they get to play her? Gemma Arterton?
Tomb Raider Reboot Is On The Way
Written by Ben Pearson on 3/08/11 • 
GK Films, the company behind movies like Traffic, The Departed, Gangs of New York, and The Aviator has acquired the rights to the Tomb Raider franchise. Angelina Jolie brought iconic video game character Lara Croft to life in two previous films – Lara Croft: Tomb Raider in 2001 and Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life in 2003 – but don’t expect her to reprise her role this time around.
Taking a cue from the recently-announced upcoming game in the series, GK Films intends on rebooting the franchise and will potentially use that game’s storyline to give Lara Croft a fresh start, concentrating on her origins. Here’s the plot summary for the game, which is titled simply “Tomb Raider”:
Fresh from academy and in search of lost relics, a 21-year-old Lara Croft journeys to an island off the coast of Japan aboard the Endurance, a salvage vessel helmed by Captain Conrad Roth. Before anchoring at bay, the ship is cleaved in two by an unforeseen storm leaving Croft separated from any other survivors and washed ashore. She must endure physical and emotional torture in order to survive the island.
