Rooney Mara
Lara Qualities: She fought off Freddy Krueger in A Nightmare On Elm Street and was more than able to look after herself in David Fincher’s intense, brutal remake of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo .
Potential Plot: Returning to university Lara meets anti-social, tech prodigy Merkle Zuckerberg. But when a string of girls go missing from campus, Lara investigates and soon finds a psychotic Zuckerberg is the man behind the killings.
Elizabeth Olsen
Lara Qualities: Olsen is one of the most highly regarded young actresses of her generation, and has nailed the ‘strong but vulnerable’ schtick in Martha Marcy May Marlene . While her action credentials are wanting, she steeled herself bravely for Silent House and her upcoming roles in Godzilla and Oldboy will presumably involve some kind of running/screaming/flailing.
Potential Plot: On the run for reasons unknown, Lara heads to her long lost sister’s home – only to find herself indoctrinated into a violent, ancient cult.
Jessica Chastain
Lara Qualities: Looks great as a brunette ( Mama ), and can do stoney-faced determination with terrifying authenticity (just ask those tough soldiers in Z ero Dark Thirty ).
Potential Plot: Lara is hired by the CIA to locate a target of national security. Recruiting some help from a gang of lawless criminals, Lara begins to suspect the object in question is not a thing, but a person.
Lynn Collins
Lara Qualities: She survived John Carter and she used to date Wolverine . In other words it would take an act of God to strike her down.
Potential Plot: When her boyfriend is taken hostage by a rogue government agent, known only as Striker, Lara is forced to locate a unique, rare and mythological element (‘adamantium’) or watch her lover be tortured and experimented upon forevermore.
Anna Kendrick
Lara Qualities: She may be lacking in action-movie experience but she’s sharp as a tack. Oh, and bonus video game points for her role as Scott Pilgrim’s sister.
Potential Plot: While on a plane trip with her new business partner (played by George Clooney), the plane crash lands in Petra’s ancient desert. When they’re forced into the nearest tomb for safety against the elements, they soon realise they’re not alone.
Aubrey Plaza
Lara Qualities: Ok, we realise this is pretty leftfield, and she doesn’t have many Lara qualities per se, but as one of the smartest, funniest and freshest upcoming actresses, she could be poised to take the franchise into brand new territory. And from a nerd POV, she regularly excels in Parks & Recreation , has tinkered with video game source material in Scott Pilgrim Vs The World , and has dabbled in indie sci-fi with Safety Not Guaranteed .
Potential Plot: The ultimate reluctant hero, Lara’s cushy super-rich upbringing is thrown into question when her millionaire father is kidnapped. It turns out he’s made his fortunes on the sly – as the creator of a fabled time-travel machine. And it’s up to her to save him, whether she can be arsed or not.
