Dr. James Whitman is an American archaeologist who Lara once admired, and who would do anything to fulfill his ambitions of fame and fortune. He is a secondary antagonist in the Tomb Raider (2013). Sporting a television show and a failing marriage, Dr. Whitman joins the Endurance crew as senior archeologist to hit it big.

Dr. Whitman studied at Harvard and is both an expert in Archaeology and Anthropology. He also took his PhD at Cambridge University in the UK and taught at many schools around the world. However, over the last few years Whitman has moved into TV series and documentary making and became quite a popular presenter with a successful range of tie-in books. Nevertheless, his TV series was later in danger of being cancelled unless he found some new and exciting angle. He privately hopes that the Endurance trip will give him material for a new TV series and, along with Sam's footage, the commissioning editors will come crawling to him.

Whitman's condescending and self-centered attitude earned him the dislike of the rest of the Endurance crew, including Lara Crosft who was a former student of his. He secretly planned to steal all the credit for finding Yamatai. However, Sam suspected that he might try to claim Lara's discovery as his own, so shot video footage to ensure Lara got the credit she deserved. Unfortunately, a powerful storm destroyed the Endurance before they reached Yamatai. Whitman managed to escape with the rest of the crew on a lifeboat.

Later, Whitman and the crew reunite with Lara in the coastal forest. Lara's leg is slightly injured from a rusty bear trap, so Whitman is left to stay with her while the crew searches for Sam, who had at that point been kidnapped by Mathias. While exploring their surroundings, Whitman discovers an ancient door covered in fascinating markings. Whitman and Lara manage to open the door, but while exploring the other side, they are ambushed by the Mathias' islanders. Whitman decides to surrender even though he has a pistol, allowing himself and Lara to be captured.

Because he willingly surrendered, instead of being placed with the other captives Whitman is taken to the cult's headquarters inside the Sun Queen's palace. Once he had convinced the islanders and Mathias that he was no threat, they allow him to move around freely, enabling him to learn more about the cult. Eventually, Whitman meets his tragic demise when Mathias fools him to make contact with the ancient, demonic Stormguard soldiers that guard the monastery. He is brutally slaughtered by the Stormguard soldiers with their swords.