8 Indiana Jones Copycats That Are Actually Worth Watching

Published Sep 19, 2026, 8:30 AM EDT

Richard Craig is a Senior Author at Screen Rant covering film and TV. Richard has also written extensively about horror and film soundtracks, contributing a chapter to the first major academic collection on the folk horror genre, The Routledge Companion to Folk Horror. Richard is also a performing musician and holds an MA in Music and Sound Art.

Adventure movies have spent more than four decades trying to capture the magic of Indiana Jones. When Raiders of the Lost Ark was released in 1981, it created the definitive treasure-hunting blockbuster. George Lucas and Steven Spielberg blended 1930s adventure serials, archaeology, action, humor, and supernatural mystery into a formula that filmmakers have been chasing ever since. Indiana Jones was so influential that countless heroes, from Rick O'Connell to Nathan Drake, owe at least part of their DNA to Harrison Ford's fedora-wearing archaeologist.

Most Indiana Jones imitators understand the surface-level appeal. They feature ancient artifacts, globe-trotting quests, elaborate traps, and wisecracking heroes. The problem is that many forget what made Indy special in the first place. Spectacle alone is not enough. The very best adventure stories must balance action with memorable characters and a genuine sense of discovery.

Fortunately, some filmmakers managed to do exactly that. Rather than simply copying Indiana Jones, they found ways to put their own spin on the formula. These movies may owe a debt to Indy, but they are far more than knockoffs. They're some of the best adventure films ever made.

Romancing The Stone (1984)

Released the same decade that launched Indiana Jones, Romancing the Stone is one of the smartest adventure movies to emerge from the craze. Kathleen Turner stars as romance novelist Joan Wilder, who suddenly finds herself living one of her own stories when she travels to Colombia to rescue her kidnapped sister.

Along the way, she teams up with Michael Douglas' rugged adventurer Jack Colton, creating one of the most entertaining action-comedy pairings of the 1980s. What separates Romancing the Stone from lesser Indiana Jones imitators is its emphasis on character. Joan begins the story as someone who writes about adventure rather than experiences it.

Watching Joan gradually become the hero of her own story is as satisfying as any treasure hunt. Robert Zemeckis also keeps the pace moving at a remarkable speed. Jungle chases, criminal conspiracies, hidden treasure, and Danny DeVito at maximum Danny DeVito all combine into a movie that never sits still.

The Mummy (1999)

If any movie successfully became the Indiana Jones film for a new generation, it was The Mummy. Brendan Fraser's Rick O'Connell may not be an archaeologist, but he has the same blend of courage, sarcasm, and reckless confidence that made Indiana Jones so appealing. Like Indy, Rick spends most of the movie narrowly avoiding death while stumbling into increasingly dangerous situations.

The Mummy depicts an expedition to the legendary city of Hamunaptra, where an ancient curse unleashes the resurrected Imhotep. Director Stephen Sommers fuses the same sense of horror, comedy, action, and romance as Indiana Jones, creating an adventure that feels comparably enormous in scope.

Rachel Weisz’s Evelyn Carnahan is especially compelling because she is not a damsel in distress but an intelligent scholar whose knowledge drives much of the plot. Her dynamic with Fraser gives The Mummy an energy that many modern adventure movies still struggle to replicate. The Mummy remains one of the most rewatchable blockbusters ever made and perhaps the strongest Indiana Jones-inspired film of them all.

National Treasure (2004)

National Treasure is essentially what would happen if Indiana Jones stole the Declaration of Independence. Nicolas Cage stars as Benjamin Franklin Gates, a treasure hunter attempting to uncover a centuries-old conspiracy hidden within American history. The premise sounds ridiculous because it absolutely is, but the movie commits so completely to the concept that it becomes irresistible.

Unlike Indiana Jones, National Treasure trades ancient temples for American landmarks. Historical clues are hidden in famous documents, monuments, and museums, transforming familiar locations into Indiana Jones-style puzzle-filled adventure playgrounds.

Cage's performance is totally earnest throughout. He never plays the material as a joke, which somehow makes lines about invisible maps and secret societies even more entertaining. National Treasure is a family-friendly adventure that captures the treasure-hunting excitement of Indiana Jones while creating a distinctly American identity of its own.

Armour Of God (1986)

Jackie Chan's Armour of God may be the most unapologetically Indiana Jones-inspired movie ever made. Chan plays Asian Hawk, an adventurer searching for a legendary set of mystical armor pieces while battling a dangerous cult. If that setup sounds familiar, that's because the film openly borrows many of the ingredients that made Indy successful.

The difference is that Jackie Chan replaces Harrison Ford's whip with some of the greatest martial arts stunt work ever filmed. Every action sequence escalates from one spectacular Chan set piece to another. In fact, Chan famously suffered a severe head injury during production after falling from a tree during one stunt.

Armour of God's blend of treasure hunting, globe-trotting adventure, slapstick comedy, and martial arts creates a uniquely entertaining experience. It may be heavily inspired by Indiana Jones, but Chan's physical comedy and athleticism ensure that it never feels like a simple copy.

Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle (2017)

At first glance, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle seems like an odd inclusion. After all, it takes place largely inside a video game rather than among ancient ruins. Yet it embraces many of the same adventure serial traditions that inspired Indiana Jones in the first place.

The clearest example is Dwayne Johnson's Dr. Smolder Bravestone, a character who shares obvious similarities with classic pulp adventurers. He is brave, impossibly competent, and capable of surviving almost anything the jungle throws at him. Welcome to the Jungle also understands that adventure works best when paired with humor.

The central gimmick (teenagers trapped inside video game avatars) allows the cast to constantly undercut traditional action-movie clichés while still delivering thrilling action scenes. What could have been a cynical reboot instead became one of the most enjoyable adventure blockbusters of the 2010s, proving that the Indiana Jones formula can thrive even in unexpected settings.

The Goonies (1985)

Credit: MovieStillsDB

Few movies capture the spirit of adventure better than The Goonies. Like Indiana Jones, it revolves around treasure maps, hidden traps, secret tunnels, and long-lost treasure. The difference is that the heroes are a group of kids rather than a professional archaeologist. That change in perspective gives The Goonies much of its charm.

Every discovery feels enormous because the characters are experiencing it with the same sense of wonder as the audience. The treasure hunt itself is genuinely exciting, but the friendships at the center of the story are what make The Goonies endure.

Director Richard Donner fills The Goonies with memorable locations and inventive set pieces, while the young cast brings endless energy. It's easy to see why generations of filmmakers have cited The Goonies as an influence. It understands that adventure should feel fun, dangerous, and magical all at once – much like Indiana Jones.

The Adventures Of Tintin (2011)

Steven Spielberg specifically set out to create a children’s version of Indiana Jones when he made The Adventures of Tintin. Based on Hergé's beloved comic series, The Adventures of Tintin follows the young reporter as he uncovers a centuries-old mystery involving hidden treasure and pirate history.

The motion-capture animation allowed Spielberg to create action sequences that would have been impossible in live action – and are still pretty staggering in animation. It’s packed with elaborate chases, breathtaking stunts, and some particularly inventive visual storytelling.

More importantly, The Adventures of Tintin captures the same sense of discovery that defines Indiana Jones. Every clue leads to another mystery, every location hides another secret, and every action sequence pushes the story forward. Interestingly, Tintin helped inspire Indiana Jones decades earlier, making Spielberg's adaptation feel like a fascinating full-circle moment.

Uncharted (2022)

The Uncharted video games have often been compared to Indiana Jones, so a film adaptation always felt inevitable. Tom Holland stars as Nathan Drake, a treasure hunter whose globe-trotting adventures, historical mysteries, and death-defying escapes owe a clear debt to Harrison Ford's famous archaeologist. The games themselves were heavily influenced by Indiana Jones, making the movie part of a very long adventure lineage.

While the Uncharted movie doesn't quite reach the heights of the games, it succeeds as a fun blockbuster filled with elaborate action sequences and treasure-hunting spectacle. Holland brings enthusiasm and charm to Drake, while Mark Wahlberg provides a fun veteran-adventurer presence as Sully.

Uncharted's standout moments come from its willingness to embrace increasingly ridiculous action scenarios, including a memorable airborne sequence involving cargo planes and pirate treasure. Like many Indiana Jones successors, Uncharted works best when it stops worrying about realism and fully commits to romping adventure.

Created by George Lucas, Indiana Jones is an action-adventure franchise that began with 1981's Raiders of the Lost Ark. The series follows Dr. Henry "Indiana" Jones, Jr., an archaeologist who adventures across the world 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.