Steven Spielberg’s fourIndiana Jonesmovies have all suddenly disappeared from Disney+ worldwide. Released in 1981, Spielberg’sRaiders of the Lost ArkintroducedHarrison Ford’s intrepid archaeologistto the world, and he would subsequently return in four sequels, three of which Spielberg would direct. Spielberg’s final installment in the franchise wasIndiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull(2008), with director James Mangold taking the reins for the fifth and seemingly final installment,Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny(2023).
Disney+ has now removedRaiders of the Lost Ark,Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom(1984),Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade(1989), andIndiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skullworldwide. As of writing, Disney has not addressed the removal of the films. Check out a screenshot viaWhat’s On Disney Plusbelow of the content currently available when using “Indiana Jones” as a search term, which includesIndiana Jones and the Dial of Destinyand two specials:
What The Indiana Jones Movies' Removal Means For Disney+
Disney’s Ownership Of The Indiana Jones Franchise Explained
Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012, becoming the owner of theIndiana JonesIP in the process. It’s important to note, however, thatParamount Pictures retained the distribution rights for the first four movies. A deal was then made in 2023 and the films made their way onto Disney+, just in time for the release ofMangold’sIndiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. This licensing agreement has now expired, and that’s why the first fourIndiana Jonesmovies have left the service.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destinyearned mixed reviews and was a major box office disappointment, meaning another film in the franchise is unlikely.
Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny Ending Explained: Is It The Last Movie?
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny ends on a satisfying note for the beloved archaeologist. We break down the film’s ending and what’s next.
Since the titles have reverted to the original distributor,the first fourIndiana Jonesmovies are streaming on Paramount+ as of October 1. Given the financial incentive, it seems likely that Paramount will end up licensing them elsewhere eventually, perhaps to a streamer like Netflix. For now, however, anybody wishing to check out all five films in the franchise will now need at least two subscriptions.
Our Take On The Removal Of Spielberg’s Indiana Jones Movies
These Situations Are Inconvenient For Consumers
Whenever there are multiple installments in a franchise, it’s convenient for consumers to have all of those movies in one place. The fact that theIndiana Jonesfilmswill now be scattered across two services speaks to a larger problem in the streaming landscape, which is thatshifting licensing deals make it a challenge to know what’s on a given service at any one time.
Since Disney is the owner of Lucasfilm, it would certainly make sense for Disney’s streaming service to offer all theIndiana Jonesmovies in the same way that it offers all theStar Warsfilms.These types of inconvenient and/or confusing streaming situations are another reason why physical media remains one of the best ways to retain access to watching a film, as a physical disc will belong to the owner forever.
The Future Of The Indiana Jones Franchise
Indiana Jones Is Done - For Now
Last year, therelease ofIndiana Jones and the Dial of Destinybrought forth a surge of nostalgia for the adventure franchise, with plenty of praise and affection geared specifically towards Ford and his performance. The arrival of the original four movies on Disney+, later joined byDial of Destiny, only added to the overall sense of celebration. Though the fifth movie underperformed,it’s hard to deny that it revived feelings of goodwill towards the entire series.
Now, it seemsIndiana Joneshas come to an end, at least in its original form. Even beforeDial of Destinywas released, Ford made it clear he was finished with the character, and Lucasfilm has been adamant that it will not replace him in the role. The fifth movie’s underperformancealready madeIndiana Jones 6unlikely, butFord’s lack of involvement firmly shuts the door. That being said, there are still ways for Indy’s world to continue should the powers that be wish to return to the IP.
A popular option for a newIndiana Jonesproject would be a spinoff centered on the fan favorite character Short Round (Ke Huy Quan). Though Short Round only appeared inIndiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Quan’s career resurgence has found him leading a number of major projects, and there has been renewed love for his character.Quan even reunited with Spielberg and Fordin the lead-up toDial of Destiny’s release, proving his connection to the franchise still runs strong.
Quan made a huge comeback to Hollywood when he starred in - and won an Oscar for -Everything Everywhere All at Oncein 2022.
Beyond that,the series could continue with a prequel, though that would require casting a new actor to play Indy. As it would be a younger version of the character, it wouldn’t explicitly be considered replacing Ford. Indy’s early days were previously explored inThe Young Indiana Jones Chronicles; perhaps Disney will wish to revive this for a new streaming series. Right now, there are noIndiana Jonesprojects officially in the works, and only time will tell if Disney produces any more.
Source:What’s On Disney Plus
Indiana Jones
Created by George Lucas, Indiana Jones is an action-adventure multimedia franchise that began with the launch of its first film, Raiders of the Lost Ark, in 1981. The series follows Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones, Jr., an archaeologist who adventures across the world with various friends as he faces off against the likes of Nazis and other groups bent on collecting ancient artifacts of power. Seeking to preserve history, Jones races against his incidental foes to stop them from conquering - or destroying- the world.
