Where Was Indiana Jones Filmed? A Gripping Action Adventure Film!

When it comes to action adventures, the first film that comes to our mind is Indiana Jones. The movie is also known as Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull. Steven Spielberg has made a number of entertaining and critically acclaimed films, but Indiana Jones is one of those movies that people of any age group can enjoy. However, in this article, we’ll discuss the movie and tell you precisely where was Indiana Jones filmed.

The action-adventure movie, Indiana Jones premiered at Cannes Film Festival on 18th May 2008, followed by its release in the United States on 22nd May 2008. The movie is based on the characters created by George Lucas and Phillip Kaufman. The film has a massive fan following all around the world and has become a part of pop culture. It stars some of Hollywood’s established and most successful actors like Harrison Ford, Cate Blanchett, Shia LeBeouf, and John Hurt. The movie offers complete entertainment, from thrilling action sequences to surprising plot twists.

However, now getting back to your main concern about where was Indiana Jones filmed, the action-adventure movie was shot in the United States of America, specifically in Hawaii, New Mexico, and California. 

Plot Of Indiana Jones (2008) | Let The Ultimate Adventure Begin!

The story of Indiana Jones revolves around the character of Indiana Jones played by Harrison Ford, a well-known archaeologist and a professor. When he returns from his last adventure, he discovers that his job at Marshall College is at stake. In time he comes across Mutt, played by Shia LeBeouf, a young man, who asks for help in order to find the legendary Crystal Skull of Akator.

Eventually, Jones agrees to go on the trip with him to Peru in search of the powerful Crystal Skull. After reaching Peru, they find out that a dangerous agent named Irina Spalko played by Cate Blanchett, along with other Soviet soldiers are also there to get hold of the skull. They think that it would help the Soviet Union to rule the world.

Where Was Indiana Jones Filmed?

Steven Spielberg’s action-adventure film, Indian Jones was a major commercial success. It earned over $790 million against its $185 million budget. It was the second highest-grossing film of 2008. The movie received several constructive reviews from critics. The movie’s cast, action sequences, background score, and costume design were highly praised. The film also got a high score of 78% on Rotten Tomatoes and a rating of 6.2 on IMDb. If you happen to be one of those adrenaline junkies, then you’re definitely in for a treat. However, as you already know where was Indiana Jones filmed, without wasting any more time, let’s get into the details of the filming locations. 

New Mexico | United States Of America

Principal photography of the action-adventure movie Indiana Jones began on 18th June 2007. The filming took place in multiple places including Hawaii, and California, and only a couple of scenes were filmed in New Haven, Connecticut. Spielberg specifically chose to shoot the entire film in the United States because he did want to stay away from his family.

Some of the important scenes were shot in the city of Deming in New Mexico. Deming was the first location where filming began. After filming here, the cast and crew moved to New Haven, Connecticut. Remember Mutt’s chase scene in the movie? That particular scene was shot at Yale University in New Haven.

Hawaii | United States Of America

The thrilling scenes in the dense forest were set in Amazon’s rainforest, but in reality, it was shot in Hilo, Hawaii. Hilo is a small town and a census-designated place in Hawaii. Indiana Jones was the biggest movie that was ever shot in Hawaii. 

Filming would have continued for a few more days but the production team had to wrap up everything and evacuate because of an approaching hurricane. Spielberg wanted to shoot a few more fight sequences in Hilo, especially at a waterfall. He sent another team to Brazil and Argentina to get shots of the Iguazu Falls. Later those shots were digitally combined into the fight sequences.

California | United States Of America

After filming was completed in New Mexico and Hawaii, the rest of the movie was shot on five sound stages in Los Angeles, California. Spielberg booked five sound stages in five different studios including Warner Brothers, Sony, Universal, Paramount, and Downey. 

Some of the scenes were shot at Chandler Field Airport in Fresno which was a stand-in for the Mexico International airport. After filming all the aerial shots on 12th October 2007, the shooting of the movie was finally wrapped.  

Final Word

So, these are all the filming locations of the action-adventure movie Indiana Jones. If you happen to live in New Mexico, Hawaii, or California then do try to visit the filming spots that we mentioned. Having said that, the movie is currently streaming on Netflix, Vudu, and Amazon Prime Video. If you wish to watch it free of cost, then visit the website 123 Movies. You can also stream in HD quality. However, if you want to find out more about such filming locations then do check out where was Hell Fest and Drumline filmed.