Indiana Jones movies in chronological order (and where to stream them)

The Indiana Jones franchise began in 1981 and has since grown to consist of five films, a prequel series, and games, comics, and novels. The stories follow the adventures of the fictional professor of archaeology, Dr. Henry Walton Jones, Jr., aka Indiana Jones, a character portrayed by actor Harrison Ford.

The franchise was created by George Lucas, with the first four films directed by Steven Spielberg and the fifth by James Mangold. The first film, Raider of the Lost Ark, is considered the best, which, upon its release, was labeled an instant classic.

Raiders of the Lost Ark - released in 1981

The first film, Raiders of the Lost Ark, is set in 1936 as Indiana Jones embarks on a mission to locate the Ark of the Covenant. Hired by the government, Indiana is in a race against time to secure the ark, which contains the stone tablets Moses inscribed the Ten Commandments before Nazi Germans can get their hands on it. The movie also stars Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Ronald Lacey, John Rhys-Davies, and Denholm Elliott.

Where to watch: Disney+, Roku, PlutoTV, Paramount+ (Via Prime Video), Paramount+

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom - released in 1984

The second installment, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, is a prequel to the first movie. Set in 1935, the film follows Indiana, aided in his escape from Chinese gangsters by singer/actress Willie Scott (Kate Capshaw) and his young sidekick Short Round, portrayed by Ke Huy Quan in his film debut. After surviving a plane crash orchestrated by Lao Che (Roy Chiao), leader of the Chinese gangsters, Indiana and his companions land in a village in British India, where they enlist his help in recovering the holy Sankara Stones. The movie also stars Amrish Puri, Roshan Seth, and Philip Stone.

Where to watch: Disney+, Roku, Paramount+ (Via Prime Video), Paramount+, PlutoTV

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade - released in 1989

Set in 1938, the third movie, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Indiana and his friend Marcus Brody (Denholm Elliott) are contracted to find the Holy Grail by American businessman Walter Donovan (Julian Glover). The pair, assisted by Dr. Elsa Schneider (Alison Doody), pick up the search for Indiana's father, Henry (Sean Connery), who mysteriously disappeared during his search. Also starring John Rhys-Davies and River Phoenix.

Where to watch: Disney+, Roku, Paramount+, Paramount+ (Via Prime Video), PlutoTV

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - released in 2008

Set nineteen years after the previous movie, Indiana is back at it in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Living a quiet life as a professor, Indiana is thrown back into adventure, this time against the Soviet Union agents led by Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett). This adventure takes him on a quest to locate the Crystal Skull and finds him betrayed and faced with some interesting life changes. Also starring Karen Allen, Ray Winstone, John Hurt, Jim Broadbent, and Shia LaBeouf.

Where to watch: PlutoTV, Disney+, Roku, Paramount+, Paramount+ (Via Prime Video)

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny - released in 2023

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny takes place in 1969, where Indiana, who now lives in New York City, is preparing for retirement from Hunter College. He is approached by his goddaughter Helena Shaw (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) as she seeks Archimedes' Dail, a relic Indy and her father Basil (Toby Jones) retrieved from the Nazis in 1944. They come against Jürgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen), a Nazi-turned-NASA scientist who wants to use the relic to alter events of World War II.

Where to watch: Disney+