How to Watch “Indiana Jones” Movies in Order

From ‘Raiders’ to ‘Last Crusade’ and more, here’s how to watch every Indiana Jones movie in order

Indiana Jones is one of the most iconic cinematic characters of all time. As an archeologist and explorer, he embarks on adventures through faraway places and uses his daring heroism to save the world. Indiana Jones also helped cement its star Harrison Ford as one of Hollywood’s most sought-after leading men.

“I never thought that I would be a leading man,” Ford told PEOPLE in 2023. “I really was just hoping I could make a living as an actor and not have to supplement my income with some other side hustle ... I thought I would be lucky to have a character part on a regular TV show.”

The first Indiana Jones movie was Raiders of the Lost Ark, which premiered in 1981. The film was a huge hit at the box office and scored Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director for Steven Spielberg, as well as winning four, for the likes of Best Visual Effects and Best Sound.

Over the next few years, Indiana Jones was adapted into everything from video games to comic books, and even a tabletop roleplaying game. It also received a sequel with Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, officially turning Indy into a franchise.

Luckily for fans, the franchise’s release date order is relatively straightforward chronologically, but there are a few quirks to know if you want to watch Indiana Jones in order of the time in which the movies and TV show are set. Check out the guide below to find out how to watch the Indiana Jones series both chronologically and by release date order.

Indiana Jones in Release Date Order

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (1992-1996)

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)

Indiana Jones Series in Chronological Order

The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles

First up chronologically would be The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles series. Airing from 1992-1996, The show took place during two timelines, telling stories from either Jones’ youth or teenage years, with an elderly Jones often narrating and introducing each episode.

Because of how different the show is from the film series, fans don’t need to watch it to enjoy the movies. However, Ford did reprise his role as Indy in the 1993 episode “The History of the Blues”, officially making The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles canon.

Buy The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles on Prime Video

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

Despite being the second film released, Temple of Doom is actually the first movie chronologically, taking place in 1935. The film begins with Indy escaping a botched encounter with a Shanghai crime boss… but he unknowingly flees aboard a plane operated by the same boss's organization.

Indy, along with lounge singer Willie Scott (Kate Capshaw) and getaway driver Short Round (Ke Huy Quan), get dumped into the jungles of India where they must survive cultists, crocodiles, booby traps, and more.

In a 2008 interview with Empire, Lucas explained why Temple of Doom became a prequel. “We made Temple Of Doom a prequel because we didn't want to use the same bad guys,” he said, referencing that they didn’t want to use Nazis as the antagonists again.

Watch Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom on Disney+

Raiders of the Lost Ark

The first film in the franchise was originally titled Raiders of the Lost Ark, but after Indiana Jones became a franchise, it later became known as Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Set in 1936, Jones gets recruited to help unearth the ancient Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis can find it, since Hitler believes the artifact will give his army godlike powers.

The movie’s globetrotting action and old-school adventure turned Raiders into a massive hit and created iconic cinematic moments like Indy running from a giant boulder.

Watch Raiders of the Lost Ark on Disney+

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade 

Set in 1938, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade saw Indy face off against Nazis yet again. This time, his father (Sean Connery) has gone missing while searching for the mythical Holy Grail. When Indy sets out to look for him, he learns that his father has been kidnapped by the Nazis.

In a 2023 interview with GQ, Ford discussed a surprising insight into the making of the movie: that Connery was a heavy sweater, so much so that he’d often film scenes without wearing pants, leading Ford to do the same.

“He did appear without his pants because of the heat and I felt it both necessary and appropriate to remove my pants," he said. "So we had two pantless men photographed from the wait up.”

Watch Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade on Disney+

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull 

In 2008, almost 20 years after Last Crusade, Indy returned for Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, which is set in 1957.

In the film, a young man named Mutt (Shia LaBeouf) finds Jones and informs him that one of his old cohorts has gone missing in South America while looking for a legendary crystal skull.

The duo then must race against the Soviets (led by Irina Spalko played by Cate Blanchett) to find the skull and rescue Indy’s friend. The movie also reveals more about Mutt's background, much to the surprise of Indy.

Watch Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull on Disney+

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

The most recent film in the Indiana Jones franchise is 2023’s Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.

Set in 1969, Indy is now retired from treasure hunting and spends his time teaching. But when his goddaughter (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) steals a mysterious dial from him, he’s forced to cross the globe yet again to retrieve the artifact and ensure it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.

Dial of Destiny is likely the conclusion of the Indiana Jones film series, with Ford telling Total Film in 2023, “This is the final film in the series, and this is the last time I’ll play the character. I anticipate that it will be the last time that he appears in a film."

Watch Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny on Disney+

What’s next for Indiana Jones?

While the Indiana Jones film franchise might be done (at least for now), there’s still tons of ways fans can explore the Indiana Jones universe.

In late 2024, a new Indiana Jones video game will be released called Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. The game is set in 1937, taking place between Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade, and follows Indy as he traverses the globe to prevent sinister forces from harnessing an ancient power.

Fans can also keep exploring the world of Indiana Jones at Disney parks around the world, including an Indy-themed roller coaster in Paris and the iconic dark ride at Disneyland in California.

Meanwhile, during the Disney Experiences showcase at D23 on Saturday, Aug. 10, Josh D'Amaro, the Chairperson of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, revealed that a new Indiana Jones-themed ride will arrive at Disney's Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. The new ride will launch in 2027.

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