Indiana Jones movies in chronological order: A complete guide

Indiana Jones is the kind of character who never really goes out of style. Fedora, whip, a slight fear of snakes, and a knack for getting into ancient ruins that usually collapse just after he escapes - he’s been running and punching Nazis across generations.

That’s because Indy’s adventures hop around in time more than a boulder in a collapsing temple. This guide puts the Indiana Jones movies in chronological order, not by the year they came out, but by when they happen in the story.

That means you'll get to see young Indy in his earliest archaeological chaos before he even thinks about finding the Holy Grail or facing off with his own dad.

Along the way, you’ll see sacred stones, secret cults, heartwarming and sometimes awkward reunions, and many scenes where things go wrong in caves.

There are five Indiana Jones movies in total. Some people love all of them. Others pick favorites. But when watched in this order, they line up in a way that shows you the full arc of Dr. Henry Walton Jones Jr. - adventurer, professor, occasional grump, and all-around magnet for trouble.

Let’s walk through them in the order Indy lived them.

Indiana Jones movies in chronological order

1) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)

The year is 1935, placing this story before Raiders of the Lost Ark. Indiana Jones flees a chaotic nightclub in Shanghai with a singer named Willie Scott and a clever kid called Short Round.

After a rough plane landing, the three end up in a remote Indian village. The locals believe their sacred stone has been taken and ask Indy for help. What follows is a journey filled with secret tunnels, eerie rituals, and many close calls, and it all begins before most people knew who Indiana Jones even was.

The tone of this one is darker. Literally, there’s a lot of action in caves. And yes, that dinner scene with eyeball soup and chilled monkey brain sticks with you. Temple of Doom shows Indy caught between fortune hunting and doing the right thing - a theme that keeps popping up in his life.

2) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

It’s now 1936, and Indy’s up against the Nazis for the first time. Their goal is The Ark of the Covenant. His goal is also technically the same, but with fewer machine guns and more sarcasm.

This is the film that introduced Indiana Jones to the world. There's the iconic boulder scene, snakes in the Well of Souls, and that unforgettable line: “It’s not the years, honey, it’s the mileage.” Harrison Ford sets the tone here - charming, tired, capable, and just a bit reckless.

3) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

We jump to 1938, where Indy teams up with his father, played by Sean Connery. The mission: find the Holy Grail. The real treasure is watching Ford and Connery argue like a real father and son.

This one gives us more backstory - a young Indiana Jones, his love of archaeology, and how he got that scar on his chin. The action moves from Venice to Nazi castles and ends in a Grail temple with a knight who’s been chilling for centuries.

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

It’s 1957, and Indy’s now older, grayer, and in the middle of the Cold War. He faces off with Soviet agents, led by Cate Blanchett, stumbles into a mystery involving crystal skulls, and runs into Mutt Williams, who might just be his son.

There’s a lot of chatter about aliens, or “interdimensional beings,” as the film prefers, and the ending leans into sci-fi. Some fans were confused. Others just enjoyed watching Indiana Jones run from danger in the jungle again. The fridge scene is memorable. Maybe too memorable.

5) Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)

Set in 1969, this is the latest and possibly final chapter. Indy is now retired, living in a New York apartment, and teaching less. He’s dragged back into action when a mysterious dial created by Archimedes shows up.

Time travel is involved, but not in the way you'd expect. This movie explores what it means to age when you were once the guy outrunning rolling boulders. Phoebe Waller-Bridge joins as Helena, Indy’s goddaughter, who adds both spark and skepticism.

There’s even a surprising emotional core as the film touches on regret, loss, and the pull of unfinished business.

So here it is again, the chronological viewing order, just to keep things clear:

Temple of Doom (1935)

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1936)

Last Crusade (1938)

Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (1957)

Dial of Destiny (1969)

Why does the order matter?

Seeing the Indiana Jones films in the order of the story lets you follow how he changes over time and where he slips up. His bonds with others feel clearer too, like the one he has with his father, the complicated history with Marion, and his later ties to Mutt and Helena.

You get a fuller picture of the toll all this adventuring takes on him - physically, emotionally, and even professionally. He starts off cocky, becomes thoughtful, and eventually tries to retire (several times). But trouble has a way of finding Indiana Jones, no matter the decade.

A few fun notes along the way:

In Last Crusade, River Phoenix plays young Indy and nails the mix of curiosity and chaos.

Indy’s hat and whip are as consistent as his habit of getting punched in the face.

The line “Snakes... why’d it have to be snakes?” comes from Raiders and never really goes out of style.

Temple of Doom was partly responsible for the PG-13 rating being created.

Sean Connery, who plays Indy’s father, is only 12 years older than Harrison Ford in real life. But the chemistry works.

Dial of Destiny gives closure to a few things and might make you a little emotional if you've followed Indy from the start.

Conclusion

Indiana Jones has a lasting appeal, even as his adventures shift from one era to another. Seeing the films in order of the events doesn’t just make the story easier to follow; it also lets you understand more about the man beneath the hat.

He’s not just chasing relics. He wrestles with old choices, people from his past, and how some things never really change. Whether you’re watching for the chases, the witty lines, or the next ruin he accidentally triggers, Indy keeps things interesting.

The journey’s full of danger, mystery, and the occasional close call. And if you’ve come this far, you probably know one thing for sure - the man really doesn’t like snakes.