The
second installment of Lara Croft's Tomb Raider series is
coming to theatres soon. This time, Lara has traded in her
Land Rover Defender 90
for a Jeep Rubicon and we've got a photo of it. We're pretty
sure you can probably identify a few of the aftermarket
bits on the Rubicon and we'll have more info as it is released.
Updated!
See below...
Auburn
Hills, Mich., Apr 23, 2003 -The Jeep® brand and the virtual game heroine Lara Croft,
played by Angelina Jolie, will be showing off their capabilities
like never before as a customized Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
and the world-renowned tomb raider team up for extreme
adventure in the Paramount release, “Tomb Raider
II: Lara Croft and the Cradle of Life.”
"We view Jeep as the perfect partner in this film
because the brand's attributes are a natural fit with the
Lara Croft character, " said Lisa DiMarzio, Senior
Vice President, Worldwide Marketing Partnerships, Paramount. "Lara
embodies Jeep core values: authenticity, mastery, adventure
and freedom."
As part of the campaign, the Jeep brand is creating an
original TV spot and print advertising that features Angelina
Jolie as Lara Croft. The ads are part of a 360-degree integrated
marketing campaign designed to be used in all levels of
brand communication around this association.
The Chrysler Group’s
Jeep Design Studio team, in collaboration with Kirk Petruccelli
and Graham Kelly from
the Paramount Tomb Raider II production team, designed
and built the customized Jeep Wrangler Rubicon featured
in the film.
“To create the vehicle, we took the ultimate off-road
machine, a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, and tailored it to fit
what aristocratic Lady Lara Croft, would need to do her
job as a tomb raider,” said Trevor Creed, Senior
Vice President, Product Design, Chrysler Group. “This
specialized vehicle includes original Rubicon features,
after-market components used by many off-road enthusiasts
and unique never-before-seen custom features.”
Lara’s
unique vehicle (three were built for the film) boasts an
array of functional modifications, such as a roll cage with
grab bars, a skid plate with simulated HID lighting and
an interior with specially designed gauges, shifters, instrument
panel, console and door trim. The aftermarket components
used to complete the Lara Croft’s Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
include Hanson Enterprises front and rear bumpers, Mickey
Thompson 35” Baja Claw tires and Classic II wheel
with bead locks, Skyjacker Double Flex 4" Rock Ready
long arm system, Warn winch and Bushwacker riveted fender
flares.
“Wrangler is the icon of the Jeep brand and continues
to be the original “go-anywhere do-anything” freedom
machine that provides maximum versatility and performance,” said
Jeff Bell, Vice President Jeep, Chrysler Group. “In
the movie, this vehicle will be showcased in many rugged
and extreme situations, highlighting key strengths of the
brand in a new and exciting way. “You’ll see
the Jeep driving 80 mph across harsh desert and jungle
terrain without any difficulty. That’s real Jeep
4x4 capability and that’s Jeep adventure.”
To showcase Jeep vehicle capability and authenticity,
the brand is creating 30- and 60-second ads that feature
footage from the film as well as original footage in which
Jolie appears as Lara Croft. The 30-second spot will run
on national TV, and the 60-second spot will be shown in
movie theaters.
The Jeep brand team and the corporation's advertising
agency, BBDO Detroit, collaborated with well-known Hollywood
talent to create the spots Simon Crane, second unit Director
and stunt coordinator for the film, directed the spots
and Aspect Ratio, well known and cuts movie trailers, edited
the final spot.
There also will be print advertisements that feature Lara
Croft. Broadcast and print spots will begin airing several
weeks prior to the release of the film.
The first Tomb Raider movie was a massive blockbuster
at $47.7 million in the opening weekend, the biggest opening
ever for a film with a female star. Worldwide, the film
went on to make nearly $300 million in its theatrical release.
Paramount Pictures is part
of the entertainment operations of Viacom Inc., which
is one of the world’s largest
entertainment and media companies, and a leader in the
production, promotion, and distribution of entertainment,
news, sports, and music.
Lara Croft and Tomb Raider are Trademarks of Core Design
Ltd. The Cradle of Life is a Trademark of Paramount.