For more than 40 years, Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones has traveled everywhere from ancient temples to Nazi-occupied Europe, chasing everything from the Ark of the Covenant to the Holy Grail. But the five movies weren’t released in the same order that the adventures take place.If you’re watching the Indiana Jones movies for the first time, release order is the simplest way to go. But if you’re curious about when each adventure actually happens in Indy’s life, the timeline gets a little more interesting. Here’s everything you need to know.Related: Harrison Ford’s Family Tree: All About the Actor’s 5 Kids
Every Indiana Jones Movie in Release Order
There are five Indiana Jones movies, beginning with Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1981 and ending with Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny in 2023. Here is a look at all of them in release order:
1. ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ (1981)
The movie that started it all, Raiders of the Lost Ark introduces Indiana Jones as a globetrotting archaeologist who teaches at a university by day and hunts down priceless—and occasionally supernatural—artifacts by night.
Set in 1936, the movie sends Indy racing against the Nazis to find the Ark of the Covenant. It also introduces Marion Ravenwood, one of the most important people in his life.
Steven Spielberg directed the film, with George Lucas serving as executive producer. The movie became the template for the Indiana Jones series, combining archaeological mysteries with elaborate chases, booby traps and plenty of supernatural danger.Related: Harrison Ford’s Advice on Success Still Resonates Today
2. ‘Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom’ (1984)
Although it was the second Indiana Jones movie released, Temple of Doom actually takes place before Raiders of the Lost Ark.
The story begins in 1935, when Indy escapes Shanghai with nightclub singer Willie Scott and a young boy named Short Round. Their journey eventually takes them to India, where they become caught up in the activities of a secretive Thuggee cult.
The darker tone of Temple of Doom made it one of the more distinctive entries in the series.
3. ‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade’ (1989)
Released five years after Temple of Doom, The Last Crusade jumps forward to 1938.
This time, Indy is searching for the Holy Grail—and his missing father, Henry Jones Sr., played by Sean Connery. The father-son pairing gives the movie a different dynamic from the previous adventures while retaining the series’ familiar mix of history, mythology, action and humor.
The movie also opens with a glimpse of Indy as a teenager, played by River Phoenix, before settling into the main 1938 adventure with Harrison Ford.Related: River Phoenix Almost Played a Different ‘Stand by Me’ Role
4. ‘Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull’ (2008)
After a nearly 20-year wait, Harrison Ford returned as Indy in The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
This time, the story moves into the 1950s, with the Cold War replacing the Nazis as the backdrop. Indy is drawn into a search for a mysterious crystal skull while dealing with younger adventurer Mutt Williams, played by Shia LaBeouf.
The change in era is significant. Indy is older, the world around him has changed and the movie embraces the science-fiction sensibilities of the 1950s.
5. ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ (2023)
The fifth and most recent Indiana Jones movie jumps forward again, taking place primarily in 1969.
Indy is now nearing retirement when his goddaughter, Helena Shaw, pulls him into a race to find the Antikythera, an ancient dial associated with Archimedes. Their opponent is Jürgen Voller, a former Nazi scientist played by Mads Mikkelsen.
Dial of Destiny was directed by James Mangold rather than Spielberg and marked Harrison Ford’s final big-screen adventure as Indiana Jones.
What Is the Indiana Jones Movies’ Chronological Order?
If you want to watch the movies according to when the main stories take place, the order is:
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom — 1935 Raiders of the Lost Ark — 1936 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade — 1938 Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull — 1957 Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny — 1969That makes the answer surprisingly straightforward—until you get to Dial of Destiny.Related: Harrison Ford’s Net Worth (2026)
Where Does ‘Dial of Destiny’ Fit in the Indiana Jones Timeline?
Most of Dial of Destiny takes place in 1969, making it the latest Indiana Jones adventure by a considerable margin. Indy has gone from a young, globe-trotting archaeologist in the 1930s to an aging professor preparing to retire.
However, the movie opens with a lengthy sequence set during World War II in 1944. A younger-looking Indiana Jones is captured aboard a Nazi train, setting up the story’s central mystery before the film jumps ahead 25 years to 1969.
So, for timeline purposes, Dial of Destiny contains the most recent and the second-most-recent period depicted in the five movies. Its main story still belongs at the end of the chronology.
Should You Watch the Indiana Jones Movies in Release Order or Chronological Order?
For a first viewing, release order is the better choice:
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)That’s the order audiences experienced the movies, and it lets you see the franchise evolve naturally over more than four decades.
If you’ve already seen them and want to revisit Indy’s life in chronological order, start with Temple of Doom, then move through Raiders, Last Crusade, Crystal Skull and finally Dial of Destiny.
Are There More Indiana Jones Stories Besides the Movies?
Yes. The Indiana Jones universe also includes The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones, a television series that debuted in 1992 and follows Indy during his youth. Lucasfilm says the series was created as an educational adventure and originally consisted of 22 feature-length episodes.
There is also the 2024 video game Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, which is set in 1937, between Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade. Lucasfilm describes the game as filling in part of Indy’s journey between those two movies.
But if you’re sticking strictly to the five live-action theatrical movies, the list ends with Dial of Destiny.
Indiana Jones Movies in Order at a Glance
Release Year
Raiders of the Lost Ark
1936
1984
The Last Crusade
1938
2008
Dial of Destiny
1969
So while the release order jumps around a little, the chronological order is easy enough to follow: 1935, 1936, 1938, 1957 and 1969. For a first-time binge, though, there’s still something satisfying about experiencing these adventures the way moviegoers did—from Raiders of the Lost Ark all the way to Dial of Destiny.
Related: Kate Capshaw Is 72: See What ‘Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom’ Star Looks Like 42 Years Later
This article was drafted with the assistance of AI and thoroughly reviewed, edited and fact-checked by Parade editors. See our complete AI Policy.
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