Tomb Raider: First official pictures show Alicia Vikander as Lara Croft

Tomb Raider fans have been given a first look at Alicia Vikander as Lara Croft ahead of the new film's release.

The images show the Ex Machina star as Croft in the iconic tank top and cargo trousers; noticeably less sexualised without the tiny shorts worn by Angelina Jolie in the previous films.

Croft's backstory has been given an overhaul in the movie which is set for release next year. The action hero is a bike messenger searching for her missing father - beginning at the last place she knows he was - in a tomb off the coast of Japan.

Director Roar Uthang said: "We see Lara as a young woman, smart and capable but largely unfocused, and follow her on a dangerous journey that will push her to her limits in every sense and allow her to hone the skills she needs to ultimately become who she was meant to be."

He added: "What's different about this Tomb Raider movie is that it's an origin story for the big screen, focusing not only on Lara's strength and physical accomplishments but also her humanity."

The official plot description reads: "Suddenly, the stakes couldn't be higher for Lara, who - against the odds and armed with only her sharp mind, blind faith and inherently stubborn spirit - must learn to push herself beyond her limits as she journeys into the unknown.

"If she survives this perilous adventure, it could be the making of her, earning her the name tomb raider."

Vikander told Vanity Fair: "I think people can identify with her [Lara] for lots of different reasons, but for me I very much see her as a model for many young women. She's trying to carve out her place in the world and connect her future with her past. She also has a fantastic mix of traits - tough, smart, vulnerable, plus she's kick ass!

"She is also uniquely different to other characters I have taken on previously. It's a lot of fun trying to get into Lara's head and the challenge of getting to grips with such a physical role is an element of this project that I find an absolutely thrill."

Tomb Raider is set for release on 16 March 2018.