With Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny on the way, there has never been a better time to revisit the movies that shaped the Indiana Jones franchise and the hits that were influenced by Indy. Indiana Jones is up there with James Bond and Superman as one of cinema’s most enduringly popular heroes. Harrison Ford’s beleaguered everyman first charmed audiences in the rip-roaring adventure Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. That joint effort from Steven Spielberg and George Lucas became a blockbuster hit upon release.
Since then, Indiana Jones has starred in four more movies. The latest of these, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, will soon see Ford’s aging archaeologist team up with his goddaughter on another fast-paced adventure. However, finding movies that compare can be challenging for viewers who have already re-watched Indy’s adventures ad nauseam. Fortunately, the Indiana Jones franchise found its inspiration in the movie serials of the ‘30s and ‘40s, and the series influenced many modern blockbusters.
12 Jungle Raiders (1945)
As such, there are plenty of great movies for viewers who want to seek out the source of Indy’s adventures. The oldest (and hardest to track down) of these are the original serials that provided the basis for Jones as a character. Specifically, the 1945 Columbia serial Jungle Raiders saw a heroic explorer enter uncharted jungles to search for her missing father. The serial format’s influence on the Indiana Jones movies is palpable even decades later, and luckily, a fully restored version of Jungle Raiders can be viewed on YouTube to prove this.
11 King Solomon’s Mine (1950)
While Indiana Jones seeks artifacts in most of his on-screen adventures, earlier serials were more fond of sending their intrepid heroes after missing people. This provided the plot of Jungle Raiders and also formed the story of the 1950s adventure movie King Solomon’s Mines. An epic adventure movie adapted from Henry Rider Haggard’s novel, King Solomon’s Mines, sees a safari guide search for a woman’s missing husband deep in the untamed jungle.
10 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)
While Stewart Granger’s tough, charismatic safari guide Allan Quatermain makes King Solomon’s Mines a huge influence on Indy, the adventure movie is not too heavy on supernatural elements and fantastical imagery. For a taste of the fantasy/ horror/ sci-fi elements of the franchise, viewers need to look no further than 1954’s adaptation of Jules Verne’s novel, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. This movie was an early precursor to the Indiana Jones franchise’s balance of adventure, comedy, and horror, and the in-camera effects of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea would go on to influence decades of genre cinema.
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
9 Secret Of The Incas
Everything from Indy’s signature outfit to specific set-pieces from Raiders of the Lost Arc owe their inspiration to 1954’s Secret of the Incas, a Charlton Heston vehicle. This movie was largely forgotten until film fans realized just how much of its story was borrowed for Spielberg and Lucas’s masterpiece. It is tough to see Heston dressed in Indy’s brown leather jacket, tan pants, shoulder bag, and fedora ensemble without seeing the blatant similarities. Still, the absence of a whip proves the Indiana Jones franchise had some fresh ideas.
8 Romancing The Stone
Released in 1985, Romancing the Stone fused the Indiana Jones formula with a rom-com premise to great effect. Sending Kathleen Turner’s uptight romance novelist into the jungle with Michael Douglas’s taciturn hunter, this classic added more humor to the Indiana Jones set up and gave the story a sweeter ending. While it might be lighter than any of Indy’s franchise outings, this one remains a fun diversion.
Romancing the Stone
7 The Mummy (1999)
By far the best of Indy’s many imitators, 1999’s The Mummy blended horror elements with character comedy. While it would be years before Brendan Fraser got credit for his acting prowess, The Mummy was early evidence that the star had the charisma and comic timing to match Ford at his best. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that director Stephen Sommers nails the balance between horror, comedy, and action in this brilliant blockbuster.
The Mummy (1999)
The Mummy (1999) is an action/adventure/fantasy film directed by Stephen Sommers that stars Brendan Fraser as the dashing Rick O’Connell, an adventurer who always manages to get into trouble. Back in 1290 BC, Imhotep killed Pharaoh Seti I with the help of his wife, Anck-Su-Namun, and the two of them died with the promise to reunite in the future. Fast forward to the 1900s, siblings Jonathan and Evelyn acquire a map that will lead them to the lost city of Hamunaptra. Rick, wanting his map back, cuts a deal with them, agreeing to travel together for the promise of untold treasures. However, Hamunaptra is where Imhotep is and accidentally resurrects the now ancient mummified priest, who seeks to restore his body and revive his lost love. Rick, Jonathan, and Evelyn will have to battle with ancient mummies, death traps, and more to stop the return of Imhotep.
6 The Road To El Dorado
An animated musical spin on the adventure genre, The Road to El Dorado features many playful nods to the Indiana Jones series. While it might be set a little earlier in history, this goofy adventure story still fits the genre that Indiana Jones carved out. Thanks to Kevin Kline, Rosie Perez, and Kenneth Branagh, The Road to El Dorado also boasts one of the most impressive casts of all the adventure movies listed here.
The Road to El Dorado
5 National Treasure
A goofy thriller, National Treasure brings the chases and global conspiracies of the Indiana Jones movies home to America. While the National Treasure franchise never quite reached the heights of the Indiana Jones movies, the series does feature some ingenious set pieces and puzzles. Meanwhile, a frantic Nicholas Cage is perhaps the most unexpected and surprisingly successful variation on the Indiana Jones archetype.
National Treasure
4 Apocalypto
2007’s accomplished thriller Apocalypto takes the jungle chases of the Indiana Jones movies and manages to sustain them for an entire nightmarish two-hour odyssey. Fair warning, this is by far the harshest movie on this list, and Apocalypto’s intense gore won’t be for everyone. However, director Mel Gibson’s haunting thriller is essential for viewers who can stomach it.
3 Jumanji (2017)
While the original Jumanji unleashed chaos on suburbia, 2017’s Jumanji reboot took to a video game jungle setting to offer a fun, fast-paced spoof of the Indiana Jones movies. The Jumanji movies fondly mock the clichés that the Indiana Jones franchise helped establish, but this doesn’t mean that they aren’t fun adventure stories in their own right. The multiple lives of video game characters somewhat lower the stakes, but the Jumanji movies still maintain a thrilling tone.
Jumanji
2 Jungle Cruise
2021’s Jungle Cruise took the supernatural thrills and period setting of the Indiana Jones movies but gave the formula a female lead with Emily Blunt’s heroine. Add in a romance with The Rock’s mysterious ship captain, and Jungle Cruise had all the elements necessary to replicate the success of the Indiana Jones series. Unfortunately for its creators, Jungle Cruise arrived in cinemas in mid-2021, making this update of the formula a financial flop.
1 The Lost City
2022’s The Lost City updated Romancing The Stone for a new generation and even included Brad Pitt as a seemingly perfect adventurer who is clearly a riff on Indiana Jones. The chemistry between Channing Tatum and Sandra Bullock makes The Lost City a charming success. Meanwhile, the action is fast-paced and effective, ensuring that The Lost City’s comedic elements don’t stop this action-adventure from feeling like an homage to the Indiana Jones movies.
