TEAMING UP THE POWERS of actor Harrison Ford, producer George Lucas and director Steven Spielberg , the Indiana Jones trilogy (1981-1989) has proven to be a movie series that withstands the test of time. A fourth film, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Scull, was successfully released in May 2008, produced by Lucasfilm Ltd. and distributed by Paramount Pictures.

Four of the most successful feature films of all time all feature the same lead character: the archaeologist-adventurer Indiana Jones - a modern knight in fedora and leather jacket; a disinterested seeker of treasure and truth; a two-fisted professor of archaeology with a knack for landing in tight situations.

© Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

The first three Indiana Jones movies (Raiders of the Lost Ark 1981, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom 1984, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade 1989) have grossed approx. 2 billion dollars in worldwide box office. The film series has been nominated for 12 Oscars and has won 6 times. The Indiana Jones DVD Collection released in 2003 is still the #2 Box Set of all time (after Star Wars). Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Scull grossed a phenomenal $143 million only in its first four days opening around the world in May 2008.

Further to the four extremely successful feature films, there is also a television series from the early 90s, The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, which follows the hero's adventures as a young man, as he encounters with various historical personalities.

The Indiana Jones films can be described as modern homages to the cliffhanger stunts and spectacular adventures of old-time movie serials and matinée films. Indiana Jones (aka "Indy", played by Harrison Ford) travels to some of the earth's more exotic corners in search of lost artifacts, and runs into hazardous dangers every step of the way.

The Indiana Jones phenomenon dates back to May 1977, when Steven Spielberg revealed to George Lucas that he had always wanted to make a James Bond movie starring Sean Connery. Lucas suggested "something better than James Bond", an adventure movie set in the 1930s and starring an archaeologist in the leading role. In 1981, Raiders of the Lost Ark opened to great acclaim from critics and audiences alike.

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) has all the basic requirements of a fan favourite: action, adventure, romance, enemies, and of course, Indiana Jones. The storyline takes Indy and his former sweetheart Marion Ravenwood deep into Egyptian territory, dodging encounters with Nazis and defeating the ploys of Belloq, a sellout French archaeologist with a hidden agenda. Pushing his endurance and ingenuity to the limit, Indiana Jones manages to keep up with his rivals – but he fears they might have dangerously underestimated the true powers of the Ark.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (the highest grossing movie of 1984) follows Indiana Jones battling child-enslaving thugs in India and recovering a magical stone (one of five Sankara stones) for a small village. Our hero takes a roller-coaster ride through lower Hades and narrowly escapes a heart surgery performed without benefit of anesthesia.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (the highest grossing movie of 1989) reveals why Indy has a scar on his chin, a fear of snakes and a passion for adventure. Indy learns that his father. Dr. Henry Jones (Sean Connery) has been abducted in his search for the Holy Grail, and Indy will soon travel to the four corners of the world in search of the elusive artifact, moving from a high-speed boat pursuit in Venice and a romp through a German castle, to a death-defying biplane dogfight and a grueling confrontation aboard an unstoppable tank. In the end, Indy will have to put his faith itself on the line.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Scull (the second highest grossing film of 2008) takes place in 1957 and sees Indy competing with Soviet agents led by Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett) for an alien crystal scull which holds great psychic power. The movie also introduces Shia LaBeouf as Indy's young son and sidekick Henry "Mutt Williams" Jones III.

Plus Licens represents Lucasfilm for merchandising, promotional and publishing rights to Indiana Jones in the Nordic and Baltic states, Poland, Russia (C.I.S.), Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania.