When You Re-Watch the Indiana Jones Movies, Make Sure You Do It in the Right Order
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If there's one iconic piece of film imagery, it's Indiana Jones's brown, wide-brimmed fedora. It's been 40 years since it was first seen on screen, and still, anytime someone wants to use shorthand to label someone an "adventurer," they put the character in a fedora and khaki-colored clothing. But while there have been many imitators in the decades since, there really is only one Indiana Jones. You need the Steven Spielberg-directed action scenes, the swelling John Williams theme music and the inimitable Harrison Ford smile to know you're truly in an archeological adventure. Which is why it's so exciting that, 15 years after his last outing, another Indy film is due to hit screens (though, sadly, without Spielberg). But if the arrival of a new Indiana Jones film has made you want to watch the old ones, you need to figure out how to watch the Indiana Jones movies in the right order.
For Indiana Jones, the order in which the films were released is not exactly the same as the order in which the events take place. Below, we've given you both: the release order (which is always best for a first watch) and the chronological order (which is fun if you want to mix things up, and see history in sequence). The good news is all of these films are widely available to stream, either on rental sites like Amazon's Prime Video or as part of a subscription. In an unusual move all of the Indiana Jones movies are available to stream on both Disney+ and Paramount+. Disney+ also has the educational tie-in TV series.
Looking for more great series to watch? Try watching the Rocky movies in order, the Fast and Furious movies in order, the Spider-Man movies in order, the Transformers movies in order, the Mission:Impossible movies in order, and the Marvel MCU movies in order, since those either had or will have new entries in their franchises this year.
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
This is the film that made the world fall in love with Indy: The series kicks off in 1936, when Indiana Jones — archaeologist, professor and globe-trotting adventurer — learns that the Nazi army seeks to locate the Ark of the Covenant, which will supernaturally give them powers that will make them invincible. Of course, he sets out to stop them, encountering ancient artifacts, fistfights and snakes — why did it have to be snakes? — along the way.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
For the second entry in the franchise, the series actually goes back in time to 1935. This time, he's off to India, to investigate a village that is mysteriously losing its children. Watch with caution: This one has been criticized as being culturally insensitive, both in the depiction of India and in the character of Short Round, Jones's young sidekick played by Ke Huy Quan. In addition, Temple of Doom, along with Gremlins, were so shocking to parents that they led to the creation of the PG-13 film rating, which didn't exist before then.
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
Jones is back to fighting Nazis again, this time with an unlikely sidekick: his father, Henry, played by Sean Connery. Henry pokes holes in the Indiana Jones mythology along the way, which makes it harder for Indy to focus on his goal, which is none other than finding the Holy Grail.
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones (1992)
If you're a completist, this series, sometimes called The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, follows tales from the times before the movies. It starts off with the adventurer as a 9-year-old exploring tombs of Egypt and ends in his teenage years.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
After Last Crusade, we went nearly 20 years without a new Indiana Jones movie. But, in the era of reboots, remakes and long-gap sequels, Jones returned. In Crystal Skull, the action jumps to 1957, and an older Indy and his crew go on adventure that reflects the concerns of the Cold War era, like atomic energy and space travel.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)
For the upcoming fifth installment of the franchise, James Mangold, director of Logan and Walk the Line, is taking over for Spielberg. This time, the action moves from the '50s to the '60s, set against the backdrop of the Space Race. Phoebe Waller-Bridge joins the cast as Helena Shaw, Indy's goddaughter. It'll be released in theaters on June 30.
The Chronological Order
The Indy series is one of the franchises where the chronological order and the release order are different. If you'd rather watch the series the way it unfolded in Jones's life, the chronological order is this:
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones (if you really want to watch everything)
The first 12 minutes of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (which feature River Phoenix as a teenaged Indy)
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Raiders of the Lost Ark
The rest of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
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