Features// Who Should be the New Lara Croft?

Michelle Ryan

Some might baulk at the prospect of a former Eastender donning Lara's hotpants, but Ryan might just be able to pull it off (I hope that was unintentional, Ed.).

Pretending she's common as muck isn't all Ryan's good for. Since manning a market stall in Albert Square Ryan's seen a spot of action as Jaime Sommers in The Bionic Woman, albeit for a relatively short-lived time leading to the show's cancellation.

Whether she can pull off the running and gunning needed to fill the boots of gaming's most recognisable female icon, however, remains to be seen. With Ryan having yet to take a lead role in a feature-length film, she would be a bit of a gamble on Warner Bros' part.

Another doubt lingers in SPOnG's mind – is she quite sexy enough?

Ryan's an outside contender, but a contender nonetheless.

SPOnG New Lara Rating: 3 from 5


Summer Glau

Summer Glau has a special place in the hearts of nerdy folk everywhere. She might not have looked startlingly hot in Joss Whedon's Firefly/Serenity, but anyone who's seen Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles knows that you could barbecue a steak just by putting it in the same room as her.

Also - let's face it, Lara Croft is slightly mental. She flies around the world putting herself in constant danger, frequently killing 'baddies' who have done little worse than try to raid the same tomb as her. Glau's portrayal of River in Serenity show's she's more than capable of playing a stone-cold killer of (at least) questionable sanity. She could give us a fascinating and (yes, we're going to say it) edgy take on the character.

There is, of course, a glaring problem here. She's a bit on the petite side, isn't she? And really not all that chesty.

Another outside contender but, we reckon, worth consideration.

SPOnG New Lara Rating: 3.5 from 5

Honourable Mentions

There are a handful of women who come within smelling distance of fitting the criteria to play Lara, but just don't quite fit. These fine females go into our honourable mentions section.


Rachel Bilson

If you wouldn't mess up your favourite Dolce & Gabanna pants for Rachel Bilson, still best known as Summer from The OC, to dress up as Lara Croft then... well, pipe up in the Forum and we will shame you ruthlessly across the Internet and back again without a moment's hesitation. But...

Well, dress-up is where it would have to end, really. Lovely as she absolutely, undeniably is – 'lovely' is indeed the word that comes to mind. She doesn't really have the edge our future Lara needs. Sorry, Rachel.


Kristin Kreuk

Basically, take all of the above but swap 'Rachel' and 'Bilson' with 'Kristin' and 'Kreuk' (you might want to swap The OC for Smallville too).

Maybe the upcoming Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li will give her a bit more bite - make us all see a bit more killer instinct when she looks into the camera with those doe eyes...

But, franlkly, we doubt it. Sorry luv.


Elika

From Prince of Persia. The Evil Editor says Ubisoft wouldn't like that very much and she's also fictional. Bunch of stiffs...

SPOnG's giving you the opportunity to vote on the matter. If you haven't cast your ballot already, get on it!


^{Megan Fox image via Maxim, Kate Beckinsale, Michelle Ryan and Rachel Bilson images via Chickipedia, Kristin Kreuk via scifidesktop}