Eidos Interactive and Core Design announce the Official Lara Croft Documentary: a one-hour television programme that examines the unique phenomenon of Lara Croft, revealing how she was invented, developed and launched into mainstream contemporary culture to become the most successful cyber character to crossover into global marketing, advertising and ultimately Hollywood.

For the first time, the 'real' story of Lara Croft is told - Lara's original creator details her design process and Core Design's conceptual artists illustrate her development over the following years, including a preview of the 'next-generation' Lara Croft 3D Model. The team reveals the truth behind Lara's personal history and how it was established and further developed following the public's thirst for knowledge about her.

Lara Croft's personality and physique are put under scrutiny as Lethal and Loaded investigates the unprecedented obsessive behaviour and emotional reaction that she stirs in fans from all walks of life - including footballers, pop stars, Tomb Raider addicts and Lara Croft wannabees... and the lengths some of them will go to for her!

Lara's prominence as a modern cultural icon is examined and her mainstream media status is illustrated via press articles, product endorsements, celebrity appearances and finally clips from Paramount's Tomb Raider Movie, including an interview with its Oscar-winning star, Angelina Jolie.

Lethal and Loaded will shown on UK's Channel 5, Sunday July 8th, 8pm (UK), right after the Tomb Raider Movie that is due for UK release July 6th.

August 5, 2001

Lara Croft is the fearless pioneer of "girl power." She's the empress of the digital age, and the star of the wildly successful computer game and movie Tomb Raider.

Now, for the first time, this fascinating program – produced by game creator Core Design - explores the unique phenomenon of Lara Croft and tells an amazing tale of ingenuity and success. The show is as visually exciting as the game itself, which sold over 26 million copies. It reveals how Core Design invented Lara Croft and catapulted her into mainstream contemporary culture, making her the most successful cyber character to cross over into global marketing, advertising and of course, Hollywood. Interviews with the artist and other Core staffers, the process of creation, lots of game clips, Lara look-alikes: this is the amazing story of cyber tomb raider Lara Croft, and it is a "must see" for all of her fans.

Now, White Star is releasing the Core Design-produced 2001 production Lara Croft: Lethal and Loaded on August 28, on VHS and DVD.