The first four Indiana Jones films are coming to Disney Plus this month, just in time for fans to brush up on their series knowledge ahead of the new Indiana Jones: Dial of Destiny caper releasing on June 30 (which we're really looking forward to, based on the trailer).
As of May 31, Disney Plus subscribers will be able to stream Raiders of the Lost Ark, Temple of Doom, Last Crusade, and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull – hopping through decades' worth of whips, skulls, and adventurous archaeology before the fifth and (we have to assume) final film releases in theaters.
The streaming service's official Twitter account reported the news, confirming that subscribers would have very little time to wait before the films land on the platform:
#DisneyPlus marks the spot! #IndianaJones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark is coming May 31. (1/4) pic.twitter.com/nqZYAfwJjOMay 16, 2023
These belong in a museum!
As a blockbuster franchise spanning over 40 years, there's plenty for budding archeologists to uncover, or revisit in these (mostly) beloved films.
The films' mix of whips, ancient artefacts, ghosts and occasional Nazis makes for adventures like no other – and this is the perfect opportunity to go back and see what made these Spielberg-directed films such a phenomenon. We'd hate to pass up the chance to see Everything Everywhere All At Once's Oscar winner Ke Huy Quan in his breakout role for Temple of Doom, too, as the 12-year-old Short Round.
Having said that, we'd recommended Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade as being the best two, by a long way. You could probably skip the other two and not feel bad. Temple of Doom has some iconic scenes, no question, but it doesn't hang together as well as the other two.
The most recent entry, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, is maybe the least-liked in the whole series, so we're hoping the incoming Dial of Destiny movie will revive the best parts of the earlier movies. We know the film is using de-ageing technology to show flashbacks from Indy's past, so it's well worth reminding yourself of the character's history – before this cinematic icon is finally put to rest.
