A statue of Lara Croft is set to be installed in Derby city centre, following a successful crowdfunding campaign to bring the iconic Tomb Raider hero home to the town that kicked off a global gaming phenomenon.

The nine-foot fibreglass statue was originally installed at London's Camden Market, where it was a striking centrepiece for "Tomb Raider: The LIVE Experience". Following the exhibition's closure in 2023, the statue was removed and has remained in storage ever since.

Enter dedicated Tomb Raider collector Luke Earle, who began a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign in hopes of breaking Lara out of storage and having her reinstalled in her spiritual hometown of Derby, where original Tomb Raider developer Core Design was located and where, essentially, Lara Croft was "born".

The crowdfunding campaign asked for an initial £30,000 to finance transportation, restoration, and installation of the gun-toting archaeologist. It did come down to the wire, with over £10,000 still to raise in the campaign's final days. But the target was eventually smashed, thanks to continued contributions from fans as well as a pledge from Derby City Council - recognising Tomb Raider's legacy in the Midlands.

Earle, who runs an annual Tomb Raider celebration at Derby QUAD every October, spoke with Yahoo! News of his joy at the campaign's success:

"We have had so much interest and an incredible number of pledges from fans everywhere, and we're really grateful to the city council for making the key pledge that ensured we hit our target."

"Derby has a lot to gain from having this statue put on public display in the city centre, where residents and visitors alike can see her...Her fans will be really, really happy to know that this fund has been successful, and I'm sure that many of them will already be planning to come to Derby to see her soon"

Derby's councillor for culture and tourism also spoke of the city's pride in Tomb Raider's legacy:

"Lara Croft embodies Derby's pioneering spirit and the creative talent that put our city on the global video games map. From a small local studio, Tomb Raider grew into a worldwide phenomenon, spawning three blockbuster films and building an enduring cultural legacy."

"With one of the city's roads already named in Lara's honour, we're thrilled to welcome her home to Derby Market Hall on her 30th anniversary. This statue will be a tribute to our heritage and inspire Derby's future game designers and creative pioneers."

Lara is expected to receive permanent residence on the balcony of Derby Market Hall, hopefully in time for the franchise's 30th anniversary, which takes place later in October. Kudos to Earle and all the fans who made this happen, further galvanising Britain's contributions to one of the most popular and instantly recognisable franchises - and characters - in video game history.

Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis launches February 12, 2027 on PS5, PC, Xbox Series, and Nintendo Switch 2.