‘Tomb Raider’ Director Shortlist Reportedly Includes Kathryn Bigelow and Catherine Hardwicke

UPDATE: A rep for Kathryn Bigelow has reached out to us to clarify that the director has not been contacted about a Tomb Raider reboot, nor does she have any interest in directing the project.

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Back in February the rights to Tomb Raider landed at Warner Bros. with the studio tapping Divergent screenwriter Evan Daugherty to help reboot the franchise. And in July we heard rumors that WB and MGM were looking to hire a woman to direct the new Tomb Raider film — specifically that they were seeking a “Michelle MacLaren type” to fill the director’s chair. A new rumor suggests that the studios now have a shortlist of directors which unsurprisingly includes Kathryn Bigelow. Dream big, guys.

The Tracking Board reports the latest Tomb Raider rumor, claiming that WB and MGM’s shortlist includes Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty), Catherine Hardwicke (Twilight, Lords of Dogtown), and Mimi Leder (The Leftovers, Deep Impact). Bigelow is the most ambitious name on that list, obviously, but all three are interesting choices with their own set of strengths.

But if the previous rumor was correct and WB wants a “Michelle MacLaren type,” then why isn’t Michelle MacLaren on the shortlist? It could be that she already passed on Tomb Raider and we just never heard about it, in which case she’s likely already working on something else.

As for now this remains a rumor, and if anything the shortlist seems more like a wish list with Bigelow’s name involved. While a Kathryn Bigelow-directed Tomb Raider movie would be incredible and perfect, it doesn’t seem like the kind of movie Bigelow wants to make. And finding a director is only half of WB’s challenge, as the studio needs to find the right actor to fill Lara Croft’s adventurous shoes. Go ahead and suggest Emily Blunt. You know you want to.