The Indiana Jones franchise is an American entertainment franchise created by George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, based on the adventures of a fictional archaeologist named Dr. Henry "Indiana" Jones, which began in 1981 with the film Raiders of the Lost Ark and ended in 2023 with the film Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
Background[]
In October 2012, the Walt Disney Company acquired Lucasfilm, thereby granting Disney ownership rights to the Indiana Jones intellectual property. However, Paramount Pictures continued to own distribution rights for the film series. On December 6, 2013, The Walt Disney Studios purchased the remaining distribution and marketing rights to future Indiana Jones films, while Paramount will continue to distribute the first four films for Disney, and will receive "financial participation" from any additional films. Although a new film installment was not announced with the deal, Disney CEO Bob Iger has expressed an interest in monetizing the franchise across Disney's various company divisions.
On March 25, 2014, Latino Review reported that Disney is looking to reboot the franchise and are looking at replacing Harrison Ford with a new actor as Indiana Jones with a couple of actors including Bradley Cooper topping their wish list. That same day, /Film posted an update claiming that their sources have informed them that the reboot rumors started by Latino Review were false and a reboot was not being planned and the stories of Cooper or any other actor replacing Ford were also untrue. /Film reported that despite the reboot rumors currently being untrue, it does not mean that the franchise will not someday get rebooted with a younger actor but right now nothing is being discussed or planned.
On May 7, 2014, it was reported that a fifth Indiana Jones film wouldn't be happening anytime soon due to Ford's commitments towards Star Wars: The Force Awakens and other Star Wars related projects. With Disney acquiring the rights to both the Indiana Jones and Star Wars franchises, their main focus appears to be on Star Wars with a total of six films expected within the next ten years. Despite this, a fifth Indiana Jones movie is confirmed for 2019, but got pushed to 2020, then 2022, then again to 2023
Merchandise featuring franchise cross-overs include a Mr. Potato Head "Taters of the Lost Ark" set by Hasbro, Mickey Mouse as Indiana Jones, and a Muppets-branded Adventure Kermit action figure, produced by Palisades Toys and based on the frog's appearance in the Disney World stunt show as seen in The Muppets at Walt Disney World.
Disney Vinylmation introduced a series based on Indiana Jones characters in 2014.
The first four Indiana Jones films were released on Disney+ on May 31, 2023, along with The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles tv series.[2]
Film series[]
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)[]
- Main article: Raiders of the Lost Ark
Set in 1936, Indiana Jones is hired by government agents to locate the Ark of the Covenant, the gold plated chest containing the stone tablets Moses used to inscribe the Ten Commandments before the Nazi Germans steal it for themselves. The Nazis have teams searching for religious artefacts, including the Ark, which is rumored to make an army that carries the Ark before it invincible. The Nazis are being helped by Indiana's arch-rival and French archaeologist René Belloq. With the help of his former lover Marion Ravenwood and his excavator friend Sallah, Indiana manages to recover the Ark in Egypt. The Nazis steal the Ark and capture Indiana and Marion. Belloq and the Nazis perform a ceremony to open the Ark, but when they do so, all they find inside is sand. Suddenly, spirits come out of the Ark and the Nazis are all killed by the Ark's wrath. Indiana and Marion, who survived by closing their eyes, manage to get the Ark to the United States, where it is stored in a secret government warehouse.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)[]
- Main article: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Set in 1935, before Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana escapes Chinese gangsters led by Lao Che with the help of singer/actress Willie Scott and his twelve-year-old sidekick Short Round. The trio crash-land in India, where they come across a Punjabi village whose children have been kidnapped. The Thuggee cult led by Mola Ram has also taken the holy Sankara Stones, which they will use to take over the world. Indiana manages to overcome Mola Ram's evil power, rescues the children and returns the stones to their rightful place, overcoming his own mercenary nature.
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)[]
- Main article: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Set in 1938, Indiana and his friend Marcus Brody are assigned by American businessman Walter Donovan to find the Holy Grail. They are teamed up with Dr. Elsa Schneider, following on from where Indiana's estranged father Henry left off before he disappeared. It transpires that Donovan and Elsa are in league with the Nazis, who captured Henry Jones in order to get Indiana to help them find the Grail. However, Indiana recovers his father's diary filled with his research, and manages to rescue him before finding the location of the Grail. Both Donovan and Elsa fall to the temptation of the Grail, while Indiana and Henry realize that their relationship with each other is more important than finding the relic.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)[]
- Main article: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Set in 1957, Indiana is having a quiet life teaching before being thrust into a new adventure. He races against agents of the Soviet Union, led by Irina Spalko for a crystal skull. His journey takes him across Nevada, Connecticut, Peru, and the Amazon rainforest in Brazil. Indiana is faced with betrayal by one of his best friends, Mac, is introduced to a greaser named Mutt Williams, who turns out to be his son, and is reunited with Marion Ravenwood.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)[]
- Main article: Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Set in 1969, Indiana Jones lives against the backdrop of the Space Race. Jones has started to feel doubts when the U.S. Government recruited former World War II enemies in their desperation to beat the Soviet Union out in the competition to make it to space. His goddaughter, Helena, accompanies him on his journey. Meanwhile, Voller, a NASA member and ex-Nazi involved with the moon-landing program, wishes to make the world into a better place as he sees fit.
Television[]
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (1992-1996)[]
- Main article: The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles
The series explores the childhood and youth of Indiana Jones with Sean Patrick Flanery and Corey Carrier starring as the title character, with George Hall playing an elderly version of Jones for the bookends of most episodes, though Harrison Ford bookended one episode. The series was designed as an educational program for children and teenagers, spotlighting historical figures and important events.
Cancelled Disney+ series[]
In November 2022, it was reported that Lucasfilm was developing an Indiana Jones series for Disney+. The series was set to be a prequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark and would have been the second prequel series following The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles. However, by March 2023, Lucasfilm was reported to have cancelled the planned spin-off series to focus on the Star Wars franchise.[3]
Video Games[]
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (2024)[]
- Main article: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
First person action-adventure, set between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and The Last Crusade (1989). The game follows Indiana Jones in 1937, as he attempts to thwart various groups who are seeking to harness a mysterious power connected to an artifact known as The Great Circle.[1]
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "The Last of Us star Troy Baker now channels Harrison Ford's Indiana Jones in new game". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved on January 19, 2024.
- ↑ Alexander, Cristina (May 16, 2023). "Indiana Jones: Disney Plus Release Announced for First Four Movies". IGN.
- ↑ Bonomolo, Cameron (March 23, 2023). "Lucasfilm Reportedly Cancels Indiana Jones Spinoff Series for Disney+". ComicBook.
External links[]
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