Editing Lara Croft (section)

{{Short description|Fictional protagonist of Tomb Raider}}
{{about|the video game character|the American model|Laura Croft}}
{{EngvarB|date=May 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Good article}}
{{Infobox character
| name = Lara Croft
| image = LaraCroftInfobox.png
| image_upright = 1.1
| alt = Computer generated image of a 3D character model of a woman with a long brown braided ponytail and two pistols wearing a light blue sleeveless shirt, brown shorts, black gun holsters and brown boots.
| caption = Lara Croft from ''[[Tomb Raider I-III Remastered]]'' in her signature outfit worn in many games
| series = [[Tomb Raider]]
| firstgame = ''[[Tomb Raider (1996 video game)|Tomb Raider]]'' (1996)
| creator = [[Toby Gard]]
| designer = 
| lbl1 = Voiced by
| data1 = {{Collapsible list|title=Various|{{Plainlist|
* [[Shelley Blond]] (''Tomb Raider'', ''Unfinished Business'',  ''Reloaded'')<ref name="btva">{{cite web |url=http://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/characters/Tomb-Raider/Lara-Croft/ |title=Behind The Voice Actors – Voice of Lara Croft |publisher=Behind The Voice Actors |access-date=11 September 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924165231/http://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/characters/Tomb-Raider/Lara-Croft/ |archive-date=24 September 2015}}</ref><ref name="thegamer">{{cite web |website=thegamer.com |url=https://www.thegamer.com/original-three-lara-croft-voices-tomb-raider-reloaded/ |title=Original Three Lara Croft Voices Join Tomb Raider Reloaded Mobile Game |date=28 October 2021 |publisher=thegamer |access-date=6 January 2022 |archive-date=6 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106202103/https://www.thegamer.com/original-three-lara-croft-voices-tomb-raider-reloaded/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
* Judith Gibbins (''Tomb Raider II'' & ''III'', ''Reloaded'')<ref name="btva"/><ref name="thegamer"/>
* Jonell Elliott (''The Last Revelation'', ''Chronicles'', ''The Angel of Darkness'', ''Reloaded'')<ref name="btva"/><ref name="thegamer"/>
* [[Keeley Hawes]] (''Legend'', ''Anniversary'', ''Underworld'', ''Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light'', ''Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris'', ''Reloaded'', ''Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II'')<ref name="btva"/>
* Charlotte Sparey (''Legend''){{efn|Charlotte Sparey voiced a young Lara Croft in ''Tomb Raider: Legend''.<ref name="btva"/>}}
* [[Minnie Driver]] (''Revisioned: Tomb Raider'')<ref name="btva"/>
* [[Camilla Luddington]] (''Tomb Raider'' 2013, ''Rise of the Tomb Raider'', ''Shadow of the Tomb Raider'')<ref>{{cite web |website=Twitter.com |url=https://twitter.com/camilluddington/status/974297421483163648 |title=Camilla Luddington for SOTTR |publisher=Twitter |access-date=20 April 2018 |archive-date=9 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109032936/https://twitter.com/camilluddington/status/974297421483163648 |url-status=live}}</ref>
* Harriet Perring (''Rise of the Tomb Raider''){{efn| Harriet Letting voiced a young Lara Croft in ''Rise of the Tomb Raider''.<ref name="btva"/>}}
* Francesca Aston (''Shadow of the Tomb Raider''){{efn|Francesca Aston voiced a young Lara Croft in ''Shadow of the Tomb Raider''.<ref name="btva"/>}}
* Abigail Stahlschmidt (''Lara Croft: Relic Run'')<ref name="btva"/>
* [[Emily O'Brien]] (''Dead by Daylight'')
* [[Hayley Atwell]] (''The Legend of Lara Croft'')
* Maggie Lowe (''The Legend of Lara Croft''){{efn|Maggie Lowe voiced a young Lara Croft in ''The Legend of Lara Croft''.<ref name="btva"/>}}
}}}}
| lbl2 = Motion capture
| data2 = {{Plainlist |
* Heidi Moneymaker (''Underworld'')
* Camilla Luddington (''Tomb Raider'' 2013, ''Rise of the Tomb Raider'', ''Shadow of the Tomb Raider'')
}}
| lbl3 = Portrayed by
| data3 = {{Plainlist |
* [[Angelina Jolie]] (''Lara Croft: Tomb Raider'', ''The Cradle of Life'')
* [[Alicia Vikander]] (2018 film)
{{show|Other:|
* Rachel Appleton (''Lara Croft: Tomb Raider''; young)
* [[Emily Carey]] (2018 film; young)
* Maisy De Freitas (2018 film; young)
}}
}}
| weapon = Dual pistols
| origin = London, England
| family = Richard Croft (father)<br>Amelia Croft (mother)
| nationality = English
}}
'''Lara Croft''' is a character and the main [[protagonist]] of the video game franchise ''[[Tomb Raider]]''. She is presented as a highly intelligent and athletic British adventurer and [[archaeologist]] who ventures into ancient tombs and hazardous ruins around the world. Created by a team at British developer [[Core Design]] that included [[Toby Gard]], the character first appeared in the video game ''[[Tomb Raider (1996 video game)|Tomb Raider]]'' in 1996.

Core Design handled the initial development of the character and the series. Inspired by strong female icons, Gard designed Lara Croft to counter stereotypical female characters. The company modified the character for subsequent titles, which included graphical improvements and gameplay additions. American developer [[Crystal Dynamics]] took over the series after the 2003 sequel ''[[Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness]]'' was received poorly. The new developer [[Reboot (fiction)|rebooted]] the character along with the video game series by altering her physical proportions and giving her additional ways of interacting with game environments.

Lara Croft has further appeared in video game spin-offs, printed adaptations, a series of animated short films, feature films, and merchandise related to the series. The promotion of the character includes a brand of apparel and accessories, action figures, and model portrayals. She has been licensed for third-party promotion, including television and print advertisements, music-related appearances, and as a spokesmodel.

Critics consider Lara Croft a significant video game character in popular culture. She holds six ''[[Guinness World Records]]'', has a strong fan following, and is among the first video game characters to be successfully adapted to film.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/video-games/7037574/Lara-Croft-picks-up-six-Guinness-world-records.html |title=Lara Croft picks up six Guinness world records |newspaper=Telegraph |date=21 January 2010 |access-date=18 March 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150929070446/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/video-games/7037574/Lara-Croft-picks-up-six-Guinness-world-records.html |archive-date=29 September 2015}}</ref> Lara Croft is also considered a [[sex symbol]], one of the earliest in the industry to achieve widespread attention. The character's influence in the industry has been a point of contention among critics; viewpoints range from a positive agent of change in video games to a negative role model for young girls.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/01/19/business/video-world-is-smitten-by-a-gun-toting-tomb-raiding-sex-symbol.html |title=Video World Is Smitten by a Gun-Toting, Tomb-Raiding Sex Symbol – New York Times |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=19 January 1998 |access-date=19 July 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111151831/http://www.nytimes.com/1998/01/19/business/video-world-is-smitten-by-a-gun-toting-tomb-raiding-sex-symbol.html |archive-date=11 November 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/4263302/Boom-raider.html |title=Boom raider |newspaper=Telegraph |access-date=19 July 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140811171906/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/4263302/Boom-raider.html |archive-date=11 August 2014}}</ref><ref name="Edge">{{cite magazine |author=Kris Graft |url=http://www.edge-online.com/features/lara-croft-sexist?page=show |title=Is Lara Croft Sexist? – Edge Magazine |magazine=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]] |date=1 September 2008 |access-date=19 July 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140728195902/http://www.edge-online.com/features/lara-croft-sexist/?page=show |archive-date=28 July 2014}}</ref>