Indiana Jones Movies Ranked from Worst to Best

The inception of the Indiana Jones franchise actually began with the desire to make a film in another, already established film series. Steven Spielberg and George Lucas were on vacation together in 1977 during the opening weekend of Star Wars when Lucas asked Spielberg — who was in post-production on Close Encounters of the Third Kind at the time — what kind of film he wanted to make next. Spielberg said he’d always wanted to direct a James Bond film, to which Lucas replied, “Well, I’ve got that beat.” The Star Wars filmmaker proceeded to pitch an adventure film in the vein of the 1930s and 40s serials starring a heroic archeologist named Indiana Smith. Spielberg loved everything but the name, suggested Jones as the new surname, and thus one of the most enduring film franchises in history was born.