Here’s my treatment for the next Tomb Raider video game…
Synopsis:
As The Order of Trinity’s thirst for influence grows, their methods of seizing power dangerously escalate on a global level. Lara Croft must go deep undercover into the very organisation that has tormented her family for years.
To win their trust, Lara must steal a priceless artefact from the British Museum, before embarking on a globe-trotting mission so dangerous, that even her closest friends—Jonah and Sam—question her true motivations.
Using her trademark cunning, determination and thirst for adventure, Lara will be pushed deeper into a dark and seedy London underworld, before being forced to use every weapon in her arsenal to destroy The Order of Trinity, once and for all.
Tomb Raider: Equinox
The Fall of Trinity
TRAILER No. 1
Cut to Lara’s home office, in Croft Manor.
JONAH:
Who even are you any more, Lara?...(fighting back tears of disappointment). Where’s my little bird? I don’t even recognise you!...This is isn’t the Lara I’ve been friends with for years...
LARA:
You’re right, Jonah. I’m not the same person I was. The things I’ve seen, the places I’ve been...the choices I’ve made...the people I’ve killed...
You’re right, I’m NOT the same person I was. I am (Lara’s voice breaks as she fights to hold back the tears) FOREVER changed.
Your little bird?! You’re little bird died on the Island of Yamiti, Jonah.
I can’t go back to the person I was before.
Not after, Yamiti. Not after Pititi. Not after what happened to Sam…
JONAH:
Lara I-
LARA:
NO, Jonah. I don’t-have-time-for-this. The stakes are too high. (Lara pushes on with a sense of urgency) Amuru might be dead and the people of Pititi safe, but all I’ve really done is to cut-off the head of the monster.
Until the whole organisation is taken down, nobody is safe.
JONAH:
La-
LARA:
I need to destroy Trinity—from the inside—once and for all-
JONAH:
(Panicking) YOU DON’T NEED TO DO THIS ALONE LARA! We can…(Jonah finally beings to understands that he’s losing Lara, for good) I’m here to help...I am on your side here. I just-
LARA:
(Lara terminates the conversation) I don’t have TIME for irrelevant personal stuff, Jonah! The stakes are too high!
Lara starts to walk away but Jonah grabs her by the hand. Lara, still fighting back the tears forcibly pushes Jonah away, he stumbles and bangs into a table knocking a vase over, which smashes on the ground.
Lara storms out the room, slamming the door shut. The camera follows her as she walks out of Croft Mansion - in complete silence - for an uncomfortably long time as the music swells in the background. She approaches her car, opens the door, slams it shut and bursts into tears.
She can’t control her emotions and, with a guttural wail, slams both hands 3 times on the steering wheel.
Lara grips the wheel and breathes deeply to calm herself.
The camera peers at Lara from the back seat of the car into the drivers' rear view mirror. All we can see is Lara’s eyes as she fights back the tears. She becomes cool, calm and composed and in the space of 10 seconds - Lara goes from fighting to compose herself to displaying the cool, calculated Lara Croft the audience has known for over 20 years.
An unstoppable force.
A force to be reckoned with.
Lara looks at the documents on the passengers’ seat. The seat is littered with schematics for the Trinity headquarters and staff profiles - the profiles of her targets.
With one final look in the mirror, she turns on the car’s ignition and speeds away from Croft Manor to destroy Trinity, once and for all.
Cut to black.
Cut to title.
“Tomb Raider: Equinox
The Fall of Trinity”
Cut to black.
Cut to foyer an influential corporate office complex in London - the holding company for The Order of Trinity’s UK arm. An expansive lobby, which is the epitome of beige and chrome, can be seen. Behind the receptionist’s desk is a beige sandstone wall featuring the logo for the company. The graphic for the logo is recognisable as the Trinity logo.
The sound of heels clicking on polished granite floor can be heard.
Cut to a woman wearing black patent heels, walking with purpose towards the reception desk.
RECEPTIONIST:
Hello.
LARA:
Good afternoon, I have a 1pm appointment with Nadia Axelsson.
A woman, who may be Lara, can be seen standing in front of the reception desk with her back turned to the camera. Her hair is in a bun. She’s wearing a smart pencil skirt suit with sensible kitten heels.
RECEPTIONIST:
May I ask your name?
LARA:
Tell Nadia, Laura Roth is here. She’s expecting me.
Cut to black.
Cut to release date/credits.
Header banner image by Таня Крофт (AKA Tanya Croft): https://www.facebook.com/Croft.Tanya
All other content, copyright © James A Sparks, 2019.