Indiana Jones is one of the most iconic and beloved film series of all time, but not many other movies like Indiana Jones are able to capture the same level of magic. With the perfect balance of action and adventure, the films have captivated audiences even decades after their time in theaters. Likewise, with the addition of history and the dash of supernatural elements, there is a little something for everyone to enjoy in Steven Spielberg’s movie.
Indiana Jones, with five movies and a prequel television series, follows an archeology professor as he gets caught up in the search for historic (and sometimes mythic) objects that someone else always wants for nefarious purposes. Harrison Ford has played the character for all of his movie appearances, giving the character a certain kind of charm that not all leads in adventure movies have. These particular action-adventure movies like Indiana Jones come very close.
15 Jungle Cruise (2021)
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Available to stream on Disney Plus
Based on the Disney theme park ride of the same name, it might not seem like Jungle Cruise has a lot in common with the Indiana Jones movies at first glance, but it does. It has the same sense of humor as the Harrison Ford movies and the same charisma among its leads Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, and Jack Whitehall.
Jungle Cruise, like a lot of other movies like Indiana Jones, also features an actual search for treasure and a magical object. It also features soldiers, though these would be the undead variety, searching for the same things. Though the bulk of the movie takes place on a river instead of in temples, Jungle Cruise still has a lot of the elements Indiana Jones fans will look for in a movie.
14 The Adventures Of Tintin (2011)
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Available to stream on Paramount Plus
As another film from Steven Spielberg, The Adventures of Tintin is a wonderful action/adventure story that is also perfect for a younger audience as well. Thanks to the iconic filmmaker’s influence, much of the movie feels as though it has a lot of older, classic elements that also made the Indiana Jones films so fantastic.
Likewise, with the inclusion of history and other fantastical elements from the film, it feels all the more similar to Indiana Jones. Thanks to the influence of Peter Jackson as well, The Adventures of Tintin was a stunning visual masterpiece. Though it is still very different from Indiana Jones, The Adventures of Tintin is perfect for anyone seeking the classical adventure feel.
13 Onward (2020)
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Available to stream on Disney Plus
Another fantastic animated movie that will fulfill any adventure craving is Pixar’s Onward. This movie sustains the usual standard that Pixar has set, mixing in all the emotions expected, from happiness and laughter all the way to utter sadness and heartbreak.
However, along the way, it is simply an amazing adventure of two brothers trying to see their father one last time. Set in a mystical world where unicorns and pixies roam the land, there are some incredibly brilliant magical moments and a real sense of adventure. While the fantasy elements set it apart, it’s that sense of adventure that makes it one of the movies like Indiana Jones.
12 Tomb Raider (2018)
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Available to stream on TNT
The Lara Croft films have had a tendency to struggle to find great success. However, they have gone down as popular cult films. Inspired by the games, Lara Croft herself is very similar to Indiana Jones. Furthermore, the newest Tomb Raider film has the most positive reviews out of the others in the series making it the ideal film in the franchise for Indiana Jones fans.
While this version is very modern and more based on survival, there are still several great things about it that relate to the Indiana Jones films, like the quest to beat the bad guys to the ancient relic. Though the recent one is also a bit darker than the ones before it, there are still plenty of great action and adventure moments that make it ideal for any Indiana Jones fan.
11 The Revenant (2015)
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Available to rent through Amazon and Apple
The Revenant is a far more serious movie than any Indiana Jones flick and is perhaps considered to be a more adult adventure film. Of course, it is far more graphic and gruesome, but that only enhances the tension with how realistic everything is. While the tension in Indiana Jones comes from a gunfight or a rolling boulder, the tension in The Revenant comes from the wilderness itself.
This western will grip audiences from the start and features some stunning acting from Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy in particular. It might lack the humor and light-hearted moments that Indiana Jones has, but it more than makes up for it with stunning details and fantastic action.
10 Romancing The Stone (1984)
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Available to rent through Amazon and Vudu
With a heavier focus on the romantic side, Romancing the Stone is still very similar to Indiana Jones. With a rough and tough lead actor who very strongly resembles Indiana himself, Michael Douglas’ Jack Colton manages to capture the same action/adventure-type hero that Ford did. Granted, there are still some key differences between them, but the overall feel of the film plays out similarly to that of Indiana Jones. Likewise, with the inclusion of the treasure-hunting element in Romancing the Stone, there are plenty of similarities for fans of movies like Indiana Jones to enjoy in this film.
9 The Princess Bride (1987)
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Available to stream on Disney+
Another classic movie like Indiana Jones is The Princess Bride, which is an amazing adventure film. It has everything needed to make a great adventure, from sword fights and pirates to giants and romance, with plenty going on throughout.
It has the family feel that Indiana Jones does, with this being a movie that has plenty of light-hearted moments for everyone of any age to enjoy. While it might not have the historical nods that Indy’s adventures do, this film dips more into the fantasy world, but it is just as enjoyable. Where it has the most similarity is in the romantic dynamic between the leads. Just as Indiana Jones finds himself bickering with the women he’s interested in, that dynamic exists between Wesley (Cary Elwes) and Buttercup (Robin Wright) as well before they’re honest about their feelings.
8 Journey To The Center Of The Earth (2008)
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Available to stream on DirecTV
Despite the movie’s incredibly cheesy elements, Journey to the Center of the Earth is a great action/adventure family film. Though it isn’t anything too special in terms of plot or CGI, the overall story is still enjoyable and appropriate for a younger audience. Inspired by the Jules Verne novel, fans of the classic adaptations will find this one very different. While the film’s sequel proved to be far worse, Journey to the Center of the Earth is a great movie that a lot of older Indiana Jones fans could happily sit down and watch with their kids.
7 King Kong (2005)
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Available to stream on Peacock
While Indiana Jones might not have a giant ape-like King Kong, the two movies do have many similarities. It’s set in the deep mystical jungle, with a brilliant old-school feel that has some fantastic action moments with a great mix of shooting and true fighting, alongside some over-the-top battles between Kong and the Dinosaurs.
There are plenty of fun characters within this movie like Indiana Jones, all pushing for their own personal story and making their own judgments. With a stunning setting and some fantastical elements, this really is an adventure for the ages that feels large in scale, yet deeply personal at the same time.
6 The Goonies (1985)
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Available to stream on Hulu
The Goonies is effectively an Indiana Jones film that stars a younger group of kids. In fact, actor Ke Huy Quan even starred in both films, playing Data in The Goonies and Short Round in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984). Furthermore, Steven Spielberg also had a hand in both projects, so it would make sense for the two films to have a similar feel to them.
Though The Goonies surrounds a group of kids andis far more family-oriented, it still has the same thrills in the adventure that the group is on. The mystery, cast, and aesthetics in The Goonies also tends to mimic that of the Indiana Jones films, adding to the charm and fun of the overall film. Needless to say, The Goonies is a must-watch for any fan of the Indiana Jones movies.
5 Jumanji (1995)
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Available to stream on Peacock
When it comes to movies like Indiana Jones, few can capture the same sense of adventure while having a completely different story concept. Jumanji does. Inspired by the children’s book of the same name, the movie stars Robin Williams, Bonnie Hunt, Kirsten Dunst, and Bradley Pierce as a group who have to finish the events of a magical board game in order to stop all the chaos it creates.
The movie might not see the group hunting down a particular artifact, but their attempts to keep playing the game amid stampeding animals, big game hunters, and more are not unlike Indiana Jones trying to get through the obstacles set for him to retrieve a piece of history. The movie is also one of Robin Wiliams’ most beloved in his career and spawned sequels years after its original release.
4 Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle (2017)
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Available to stream on Hulu
Whether fans prefer the magic of the original Jumanji or the sequel movie that updates the board game concept into a video game, the truth is that they both have that same Indiana Jones spirit of adventure. Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle stars Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Karen Gillan, Kevin Hart, and Nick Jonas in a story that actually takes the characters inside the game instead of the other way around.
As a result, the story itself, of a group of people trying to get to the game’s final piece of treasure, is much more like one of Indiana Jones’ adventures than the original. What sets it apart from most other adventure movies though is that the main cast of four are playing video game avatars, meaning they’re really playing the teenagers controlling them. It’s a great concept that makes the adventure fresh and hilarious.
3 National Treasure (2004)
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Available to stream on Disney Plus
Going beyond Indiana Jones in particular, many Steven Spielberg films have a great element of history incorporated into them. Because of this, it would make sense that National Treasure, a film revolving around history, would be a movie like Indiana Jones. Though National Treasure is much cheesier than Indiana Jones, there are still a lot of similarities between them to appreciate, like the main character’s knowledge of all the relics found, for example.
Furthermore, National Treasure is a bit more family-friendly, arguably making it a modern Indiana Jones for all audiences. With a heavy influence of history on top of a decent treasure-hunting adventure, National Treasure would likely please several fans of Indiana Jones.
2 The Mummy (1999)
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Available to stream on Peacock
The Indiana Jones films have been known for including a little romance and a dash of the supernatural in each of them. Between a great mix of action, adventure, and history, the supernatural elements always topped things off very nicely. Because of this, The Mummy would also make a great watch when it comes to movies like Indiana Jones. Excluding the newest iteration starring Tom Cruise, The Mummy films actually fall very closely to Indiana Jones.
With some pretty distinct characters, both films have the same type of feel to them in terms of adventure. Furthermore, there is a fairly nice balance of humor woven into both films as well which makes them even more similar. Though both tell radically different overall stories, there are plenty of similarities between them that make The Mummy worthy of a watch. They also both have more stories beyond the first one, so there’s even more time with the beloved characters.
1 The Da Vinci Code (2006)
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Available to stream on Tubi
Though The Da Vinci Code doesn’t have too much actual action in it, there are still many similarities between it and Indiana Jones. In one of the biggest examples, both films rely heavily on religious elements and historical clues in order to get to the end goal. Furthermore, both The Da Vinci Code and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) revolve around the discovery of the Holy Grail.
Both films approach the subject in radically different ways; each film has elements that make it worthy of praise. While The Da Vinci Code isn’t an exact match when it comes to movies like Indiana Jones, there are still things to enjoy in the mystery series.
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
