History of Raiders of the Lost Ark in Timeline
In 1936, archaeologist Indiana Jones races against Nazi forces to find the Ark of the Covenant, a biblical artifact rumored to grant invincibility. He teams up with Marion Ravenwood, his former love, to outwit his rival, René Belloq, who is aiding the Nazis. Their adventure takes them from Nepal to Egypt, facing deadly traps, daring escapes, and perilous confrontations. Ultimately, Jones recovers the Ark, but its power proves too great for the Nazis, who are consumed by its divine wrath when they open it. The Ark is then secured in a secret government warehouse.
1935: Inspiration from The Informer
In 1935, Spielberg wanted a moodier film noir lighting style like in The Informer (1935).
1941: Reference to 1941 failure
In 1941, a reference was made to the failure of the film 1941, which had made Spielberg too cautious.
1942: Inspiration from Now, Voyager
In 1942, for the romantic theme, Williams took inspiration from older films like the drama Now, Voyager (1942) to create something more emotionally monumental that he felt would contrast well with the film's humor and lighter moments.
1948: Inspiration from The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
In 1948, Jones's attire, a leather jacket and khaki pants, was based on Humphrey Bogart's in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948).
1954: Inspiration from Secret of the Incas
In 1954, Jones's attire, a leather jacket and khaki pants, was based on Charlton Heston in Secret of the Incas (1954).
1955: Reference to Kiss Me Deadly
Raiders of the Lost Ark, released in 1981, contains references to the film noir Kiss Me Deadly (1955).
1961: Reference to Yojimbo
Raiders of the Lost Ark, released in 1981, contains references to the samurai film Yojimbo (1961).
1962: Reference to To Kill a Mockingbird
On the AFI's 2003 list of the 100 Best Heroes & Villains, the Indiana Jones character from Raiders of the Lost Ark was ranked as the number two hero, behind Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird (1962).
1962: Reference to Lawrence of Arabia
Raiders of the Lost Ark, released in 1981, contains references to the epic Lawrence of Arabia (1962).
1968: Reference to Bullitt's truck chase
In 1968, Ebert said the truck chase stunt in Raiders of the Lost Ark was the best he had ever seen, ahead of those in films like Bullitt.
1971: Reference to The French Connection's truck chase
In 1971, Ebert said the truck chase stunt in Raiders of the Lost Ark was the best he had ever seen, ahead of those in films like The French Connection.
1971: Reference to THX 1138
Raiders of the Lost Ark, released in 1981, includes references to George Lucas's science fiction film THX 1138 (1971); the translation of the German U-boat announcement is "1138".
1972: The Godfather is released
In 2008, Empire listed Raiders of the Lost Ark at number two on its list of the 500 Greatest Movies of All Time, behind the 1972 crime film The Godfather.
1972: Contextual reference to Watergate scandal
Raiders of the Lost Ark (released in 1981) offers a counter to the American national embarrassments of the Watergate scandal (1972), a recession, and the growing influence of foreign nations.
1973: Douglas DC-3 shots repurposed from Lost Horizon
In 1973, shots of the Douglas DC-3 used by Jones and Marion to fly out of Nepal were repurposed from the adventure film Lost Horizon (1973).
1975: Establishing shot from The Hindenburg used
In 1975, an establishing shot of the streets of Washington, D.C. was taken from The Hindenburg (1975) and used in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
1979: Alien released
In 1979, Alien was released in theaters. It was later ranked lower than Raiders of the Lost Ark as a summer film by Los Angeles Times readers.
June 23, 1980: Principal photography begins
On June 23, 1980, principal photography for Raiders of the Lost Ark began. Filming took place in La Rochelle, France; Tunisia, North Africa; Hawaii; and Elstree Studios, England. On-location shooting cost around $100,000 a day, with sets costing an additional $4 million.
September 1980: Filming Concludes
In September 1980, filming for Raiders of the Lost Ark concluded after 73 days. The loosely detailed script led to much improvisation; Allen, Lacey, Freeman, and Rhys-Davies often spent time together between filming to talk and discuss their characters.
1980: Comparison to 1981 box office
In 1980, the summer box office was lower than in 1981, with the 1981 summer box office representing a 15.6% increase over 1980.
June 12, 1981: Release in US and Canada
On June 12, 1981, Raiders of the Lost Ark was released in the United States and Canada in 1,078 theaters, earning $8.3 million and finishing as the number one film of the weekend.
1981: Film industry decline
By the summer of 1981, the film industry had been in decline for over a year. This was the result of few box office successes, rising film production costs, diminishing audiences, and increasing ticket prices.
1981: ILM handles special effects
In 1981, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), under the supervision of Richard Edlund, handled the special effects for Raiders of the Lost Ark. The team also worked on the dark fantasy Dragonslayer (1981).
1981: Highest-grossing film worldwide
In 1981, Raiders of the Lost Ark earned a worldwide gross of $354 million, making it the highest-grossing film of the year worldwide, ahead of For Your Eyes Only and Superman II.
1981: Novelization of Raiders of the Lost Ark released
In 1981, a novelization of Raiders of the Lost Ark, written by Campbell Black, was released. It was a worldwide sales success and included details not present in the film.
1981: Das Boot submarine borrowed for filming
In 1981, filming in La Rochelle depicted the capture of the Bantu Wind by a Nazi U-boat. Watts borrowed a submarine from the war film Das Boot (1981) on condition it not be taken into deep waters. World War II German U-boat pens in La Rochelle represented the U-boat dock.
1981: Summer box office success
In 1981, the record $1.95 billion summer box-office represented a 15.6% increase over 1980, with a 22.5% increase in ticket sales. This success was attributed mainly to Raiders and Superman II.
March 18, 1982: Film officially leaves theaters
On March 18, 1982, Raiders of the Lost Ark officially left theaters, although some were still playing it by July. Raiders earned an approximate total box office gross of $212.2 million.
July 1982: Re-release of Raiders of the Lost Ark
In July 1982, Raiders of the Lost Ark was re-released, earning an additional $21.4 million.
1982: Academy Awards
At the 1982 Academy Awards, Raiders of the Lost Ark received five awards: Best Art Direction, Best Film Editing, Best Sound, Best Sound Editing, and Best Visual Effects. The film received a further four nominations.
1982: Amateur remake begins production
Between 1982 and 1989, children Chris Strompolos, Eric Zala, and Jayson Lamb made an amateur remake of Raiders of the Lost Ark in Ocean Springs, Mississippi.
1982: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom in development
By 1982, while Raiders of the Lost Ark was still in theaters, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom began development as a narrative prequel.
1982: Ford cast in Blade Runner
Harrison Ford's performance in Raiders of the Lost Ark led to his casting in the 1982 science fiction cult classic film Blade Runner.
1982: Raiders of the Lost Ark game released for Atari 2600
In 1982, the video game Raiders of the Lost Ark was released for the Atari 2600 console.
March 1983: Second Re-release of Raiders of the Lost Ark
In March 1983, Raiders of the Lost Ark was re-released again, earning an additional $11.4 million.
November 1983: Paramount released home video copies of Raiders
In November 1983, Paramount released 500,000 home video copies of Raiders of the Lost Ark priced at $39.95 each, significantly lower than competitors, to broaden the sales audience.
1984: Release of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
In 1984, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom was released, becoming one of the highest-grossing films of the year, although it received criticism for racism, sexism, and inappropriate content.
1984: The Adventures of Indiana Jones role playing game released
In 1984, The Adventures of Indiana Jones role playing game board game was released but poorly received. The manufacturer lost the license later that decade, and all remaining copies had to be burned.
1984: Introduction of PG-13 rating
In 1984, an intermediate rating between PG and R, PG-13, was introduced, in part a response to the violence of the Indiana Jones prequel, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
September 1985: Raiders becomes the bestselling VHS of its time
By September 1985, over one million copies of Raiders of the Lost Ark had been sold, making it the bestselling VHS of its time.
1985: King David audience associates Ark with Raiders
In 1985, after the release of Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1981, Richard Crinkley recounted that audience members of King David (1985) associated its use of the Ark explicitly with Raiders instead of its biblical origins.
1987: Films such as Lethal Weapon evolve everyman character
The macho male action hero archetype, conveyed by Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark (released in 1981), can also be seen as reinforcing traditional masculinity. Latham Hunter said films such as Lethal Weapon (1987) evolve the everyman character into someone who can overcome impossible odds and promote American might.
1988: Villain named after Pauline Kael in Willow
In 1988, Lucas later named a villain in his fantasy film Willow after Pauline Kael.
1988: Films such as Die Hard evolve everyman character
The macho male action hero archetype, conveyed by Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark (released in 1981), can also be seen as reinforcing traditional masculinity. Latham Hunter said films such as Die Hard (1988) evolve the everyman character into someone who can overcome impossible odds and promote American might.
1989: Amateur remake is completed
Between 1982 and 1989, children Chris Strompolos, Eric Zala, and Jayson Lamb completed an amateur remake of Raiders of the Lost Ark in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Spielberg congratulated the trio on their accomplishment.
1989: Release of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
In 1989, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, a narrative sequel to Raiders, was released. It became one of the year's highest-grossing films and was well-received by critics.
1989: Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! begins operation
In 1989, the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular!, a live amusement show at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, began operation. It features live stunts based on set pieces from Raiders of the Lost Ark.
1991: McDonald's launches video sales promotion
In 1991, McDonald's launched a large video sales promotion, selling videocassettes of the first three Indiana Jones movies for $5.99 each. Almost 10 million cassettes of the Indiana Jones series had been sold by this point, and this promotion was expected to sell at least five million more.
1992: The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles television series airs
In 1992, following the conclusion of the film series, Lucas developed a television series, The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, featuring Ford and other actors as Jones at different ages.
1993: Indiana Jones: The Pinball Adventure released
In 1993, Indiana Jones: The Pinball Adventure, a pinball game, was released.
1993: The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles television series airs
In 1993, The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles television series aired, featuring Ford and other actors as Jones at different ages.
1997: Bernard Weinraub assesses the film's legacy
Assessing the film's legacy in 1997, Bernard Weinraub, opined "the decline in the traditional family G-rated film, for 'general' audiences, probably began..." with Raiders of the Lost Ark.
1997: American Film Institute ranks film
In 1997, the American Film Institute (AFI) ranked Raiders of the Lost Ark number 60 on its 100 Years...100 Movies list recognizing the best American films.
1999: Film selected for preservation in National Film Registry
In 1999, the United States Library of Congress selected Raiders of the Lost Ark to be preserved in the National Film Registry for being culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.
1999: Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine released
In 1999, the video game Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine included a bonus level that returns players to the Peruvian temple from Raiders of the Lost Ark.
2000: Film marketed as Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
By 2000, the film was marketed as Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark for consistency with other titles in the franchise.
2003: Film released on DVD
In 2003, Raiders of the Lost Ark was released on DVD as a bundle with the other two films in the franchise, selling over one million units and becoming the fastest-selling DVD box set. The set included a two-hour documentary about the making of the films, including deleted scenes, and a series of archival featurettes.
2003: American Film Institute ranks Indiana Jones
On the AFI's 2003 list of the 100 Best Heroes & Villains, the Indiana Jones character from Raiders of the Lost Ark was ranked as the number two hero.
2005: Campbell Black sues Lucasfilm
In 2005, Campbell Black, the author of the novelization of Raiders of the Lost Ark, sued Lucasfilm for not paying him his percentage of the book sales profits.
2005: Raiders ranked 20th best family film in the UK
In 2005, Channel 4 viewers in the United Kingdom ranked Raiders of the Lost Ark as the 20th best family film of all time.
2005: Writers Guild of America ranks screenplay
In 2005, the Writers Guild of America's (WGA) listed the Raiders of the Lost Ark screenplay as the forty-second greatest screenplay of the preceding 75 years on their 101 Greatest Screenplays list.
2007: American Film Institute reassesses film ranking
In 2007, the American Film Institute (AFI) reassessed Raiders of the Lost Ark to number 66 on its 100 Years...100 Movies anniversary edition list.
2008: Empire lists film at number two
In 2008, Empire listed Raiders of the Lost Ark at number two on its list of the 500 Greatest Movies of All Time, behind The Godfather.
2011: Influence on Captain America: The First Avenger
Raiders of the Lost Ark had an explicit influence on Joe Johnston's directorial effort Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), including character designs.
2012: Film released on Blu-ray disc
In 2012, Raiders of the Lost Ark and its sequels were released as a collection on Blu-ray disc as Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventures. Steven Spielberg worked on the films' restoration for the higher-quality format. This release included the additional content of previous releases.
2012: Original costume items recovered for display
The original Indiana Jones costume hat and jacket were stored indiscriminately after filming Raiders of the Lost Ark until 2012, when Nadoolman Landis recovered the items to be exhibited as part of a Hollywood costume display at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
2013: The Big Bang Theory questions Jones's impact on Raiders' plot
In 2013, an episode of The Big Bang Theory ("The Raiders Minimization") aired, arguing that Indiana Jones accomplished nothing in Raiders, as the Nazis would have inevitably found and opened the Ark regardless of his actions.
2014: The Hollywood Reporter ranks film thirteenth best ever made
A 2014 poll of 2,120 entertainment-industry members by The Hollywood Reporter ranked Raiders of the Lost Ark the thirteenth best film ever made.
2014: Steven Soderbergh releases black-and-white edit
In 2014, director Steven Soderbergh released a black-and-white edit of Raiders of the Lost Ark, removing all the original sounds, intending for viewers to focus on Spielberg's staging and editing.
2017: The Great Movie Ride closes
In 2017, The Great Movie Ride (1989-2017), which included Raiders of the Lost Ark, closed.
2018: Bilge Ebiri calls Raiders the best film in Spielberg's filmography
In 2018, film critic Bilge Ebiri, writing for Rolling Stone, considered Raiders of the Lost Ark the best film in Spielberg's filmography as of that year, praising its dazzling effects, technique, and blend of spectacle and actor-driven moments.
2021: 40th anniversary release in 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
For its 40th anniversary in 2021, Raiders of the Lost Ark was released in a remastered 4K resolution Ultra HD Blu-ray based on the original film negative, as part of a boxset including the series' other films.
June 2023: Release of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
In June 2023, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny was released.
2023: Individual release of 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray version
In 2023, the 4K resolution Ultra HD Blu-ray version of Raiders of the Lost Ark was released individually.
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