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Watch order

Indiana Jones movie watch order

Lucasfilm’s five theatrical Indiana Jones films from Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) through Dial of Destiny (2023). Release follows US premiere order—so Raiders introduces Indy first. Story follows adventure years: Temple of Doom (1935) → Raiders (1936) → Last Crusade (1938) → Crystal Skull (1957) → Dial of Destiny (1969). Young Indiana Jones TV, games, and Disney+ shorts stay optional. Adventure neighbors: Jurassic Park and Uncharted.

Updated August 2026

Release order

When each Indiana Jones film opened in US theaters—from Raiders of the Lost Ark (June 12, 1981) through Dial of Destiny (June 30, 2023). Best first path: watch in premiere order so Raiders still introduces Indy before the 1935 prequel energy of Temple of Doom.

  • First watch → Release: Raiders → Temple of Doom → Last Crusade → Crystal Skull → Dial of Destiny
  • Original trilogy only → Raiders → Temple of Doom → Last Crusade
  • Post-trilogy → Crystal Skull then Dial of Destiny after the 1980s three
  • Young Indiana Jones / games / Disney+ shorts → optional
Story order tips

Adventure chronology by in-fiction years: Temple of Doom (1935) → Raiders (1936) → Last Crusade (1938) → Crystal Skull (1957) → Dial of Destiny (1969). Same five films; only Temple of Doom moves ahead of Raiders. 1912 and 1944 openings stay inside their movies.

  • 1935 → Temple of Doom (earliest Indy adventure year)
  • 1936–1938 → Raiders then Last Crusade
  • 1957 → Crystal Skull (Cold War Indy)
  • 1969 → Dial of Destiny (latest adventure year)

Timeline

When each season premiered in the US. Expand a row for dates and where it fits in your watch order.

Release order

  1. Raiders of the Lost Ark

    Raiders of the Lost Ark

    TheatricalStreamingMain sagaLive-action

    Steven Spielberg and George Lucas launch Harrison Ford’s Indy on a 1936 race for the Ark of the Covenant—Peru temples, Marion Ravenwood, and serial-cliffhanger set pieces that invent the modern adventure blockbuster every sequel still answers. This tab dates the US theatrical bow, not the 1935 prequel year.

    Overview
    Whip-and-fedora pulp with John Williams’s march, practical stunt craft, and globe-trotting MacGuffin stakes. Correct first watch on Release so Indy’s introduction still lands as a discovery.
    Related games
    Franchise opener in theaters. Story places the 1935 Temple of Doom adventure before this 1936 Ark hunt. Adventure neighbors: Uncharted and Tomb Raider.
    Where it fits
    Start here on Release. On Story it sits second, after Temple of Doom. Required before Last Crusade either way.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release June 12, 1981 (Paramount Pictures).
  2. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

    Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

    TheatricalStreamingMain sagaPrequel year

    Spielberg’s darker 1935 prequel—released second, in 1984—sends Indy, Short Round, and Willie Scott from a Shanghai nightclub into an Indian palace cult and a mine-cart chase. It is set a year before the Ark hunt, even though US theaters played Raiders first.

    Overview
    Prequel chronology with harsher tone and child-sidekick chemistry; the film’s intensity helped push Hollywood toward PG-13 later in 1984, without leaving Lucasfilm’s serial-adventure lane.
    Related games
    Earliest adventure year on Story. Release still plays it after Raiders; Story continues into that 1936 Ark film next.
    Where it fits
    Second on Release; first on Story (1935). Watch here in premiere order, or start Story with this title if you want calendar order.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release May 23, 1984 (Paramount Pictures).
  3. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

    Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

    TheatricalStreamingMain sagaLive-action

    Indy and Sean Connery’s Henry Jones Sr. hunt the Holy Grail across 1938 Europe—father-son banter, motorcycle chases, and a 1912 Utah prologue (River Phoenix) that stays inside this movie. It closes the original theatrical trilogy on a high note.

    Overview
    Buddy-adventure chemistry plus Grail mythology deepen Indy’s personal stakes without abandoning serial spectacle. Still the emotional peak of the 1980s three for many rewatchers.
    Related games
    Closes the 1930s adventure cluster. The 1912 opening is not a separate title. Next theatrical chapter is Crystal Skull (1957 on Story).
    Where it fits
    Watch after Temple of Doom on Release; after Raiders on Story (1938). End of the classic trilogy block before the long gap to Crystal Skull.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release May 24, 1989 (Paramount Pictures).
  4. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

    Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

    TheatricalStreamingMain sagaCold War

    Spielberg returns Indy to 1957—nuclear-age paranoia, Shia LaBeouf’s Mutt Williams, Cate Blanchett’s Irina Spalko, and a crystal skull MacGuffin after nearly two decades away. Karen Allen’s Marion is back; the adventure grammar stays serial pulp.

    Overview
    Time-jump sequel that ages Indy into atomic-age B-movie territory instead of soft-rebooting the 1930s. Debated tone, still required if you want the full five-film theatrical path into Dial of Destiny.
    Related games
    Bridge from the classic trilogy to Dial of Destiny. Same Indy continuity—not a separate universe. Neighbor pulp: Mission Impossible.
    Where it fits
    Fourth on both tabs among released films. Watch after Last Crusade; Story places it in 1957 before the 1969 Dial chapter.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release May 22, 2008 (Paramount Pictures).
  5. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

    Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

    TheatricalStreamingMain sagaLive-action

    James Mangold’s 1969 chapter—Spielberg producing, not directing—pairs late-career Indy with Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Helena. A 1944 Nazi-train opening leads into moon-landing-era America and an Antikythera MacGuffin that closes this page’s theatrical ladder.

    Overview
    Period-shift finale energy: Indy in the late sixties, a time-myth MacGuffin, and the first mainline film without Spielberg in the director’s chair. Still Lucasfilm pulp rather than a hard reboot.
    Related games
    Current Story and Release endpoint. The 1944 opening is not a separate title. Young Indiana Jones TV and Disney+ shorts remain optional. Lucasfilm neighbor: Star Wars movies.
    Where it fits
    Last title on both tabs. Watch after Crystal Skull for full career context; the original trilogy alone is enough if you only want 1980s Indy.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release June 30, 2023 (Walt Disney Studios / Lucasfilm).

FAQ

Release vs adventure years, why Temple of Doom starts Story, 1912/1944 openings, Crystal Skull and Dial of Destiny, and optional TV or shorts.

Watch order

Release is premiere order (Raiders first). Story follows adventure years: Temple of Doom (1935) → Raiders (1936) → Last Crusade (1938) → Crystal Skull (1957) → Dial of Destiny (1969). First-time viewers should stay on Release so Raiders still introduces Indy.

Years & sequels

Not for a first watch. Temple of Doom is set in 1935, a year before Raiders, so Story puts it first. In theaters it arrived second, in 1984. Start with Raiders on Release; use Story only when you want calendar order on a rewatch.

What’s included

No. The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (and later Adventures of Young Indiana Jones TV movies), the games, and Disney+ shorts are optional flavor—not release or story titles on this page. The five theatrical films work on their own.

More timelines

Other release-order and story-order guides on this site.