PARAMOUNT MARKETS LARA OVER JOLIE
Copyright 2001 www.msn.co.uk

[ June 8th 2001 ]

Paramount Pictures unconventional marketing approach to Tomb Raider was a conscious decision, according to studio vice chairman Rob Friedman. "We wanted the character identified as a character." Friedman said. The movie poster certainly sports the key elements that turned the Tomb Raider series into a multimillion-selling video game franchise: a voluptuous female in tight clothes holding big guns. But the only name above the Tomb Raider logo is Lara Croft, Jolie’s character. The actress’ name is relegated to the nearly unreadable text of the credit block.

Friedman said he couldn’t recall similar treatment for a star of Jolie’s magnitude his best comparison was Brendan Fraser’s non-billing on the poster of Universal’s 1999 film The Mummy. "It’s a smart move," said DreamWorks marketing chief Terry Press. "Their target audience has no idea who Angelina Jolie is." Jolie’s manager did not return calls to ask why his star agreed to keep her name off the poster. But Jolie must be content with her anonymous treatment. She’s signed on for the sequel.