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Jun 22, 2023

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny: How to Prepare for Harrison Ford's Adventure

Here are some things you can do to get excited for Indiana Jones and the Dial of

Here are some things you can do to get excited for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is coming out at the end of this month, and if you’re anything like us, you’ll want to get excited to watch the fifth installment of the Indiana Jones franchise. It's been 41 years since Raiders of the Lost Ark was released, and over that time, Indiana Jones has become one of the greatest, genre-defining franchises of all time. Fans have followed Harrison Ford as he's searched for hidden artifacts, beaten up Nazis, and traveled to mysterious sites all over the globe. And now we get to join him on one final adventure.

The Dial of Destiny premiered at Cannes Film Festival to underwhelming critical reviews but a great reaction from Steven Spielberg. And Harrison Ford was awarded a Palme d’Or for his lifetime contributions to the film industry. Meanwhile, the rest of us wait with bated breath for the film to come out. But there's plenty you can do in the meantime to rekindle that adventurer's spirit. You can watch the old movies, take virtual tours of exotic locations, and even brush up on your archaeology. Here are some of our favorite ideas you get you excited for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.

In anticipation of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Disney put all the Indiana Jones movies on Disney+, so you can go back and relive all the old classics, starting with Raiders of the Lost Ark all the way up to 2008's Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. They even added "A Special Look" at The Dial of Destiny. It's a short sneak peek that includes interviews with Harrison Ford, Steven Spielberg, and other big names from the series. It even lets you see a bit of a scene from the upcoming movie.

Everyone fell in love with Indiana Jones instantly at the start of Raiders. Who doesn't remember the iconic scene when our favorite treasure hunter entered that jungle temple? We watched as he carefully weighed that bag of sand so he could replace the golden idol without tripping the booby traps. But to no avail! Indiana Jones was chased out of the temple by a giant stone boulder, only to be confronted by his greedy archaeological rival, who uses a local tribe to hunt him. And later, we get to see all the Nazi-bashing that we love this movie for.

And in Temple of Doom, we were introduced to the amazing Ke Huy Quan playing the lovable Short Round. Dr. Jones confronts a deadly cult that inhabits an ancient and mysterious palace. And along the way, he is served some delicious monkey brains. Although the movie takes place in India, most scenes were filmed in the beautiful Sri Lanka.

In The Last Crusade, we revisit the ancient tale of the search for the Holy Grail. One of the most recognizable and prolific stories in Western culture, Indiana Jones goes looking for the ultimate treasure. The incredible Sean Connery plays Indy's father, and we finally learn that they "named the dog Indiana." With a whole new cast of characters and brand new enemies, Jones looks for the world's greatest treasure, making dangerous and enlightening decisions along the way.

Related: 10 Best Stunts in the Indiana Jones Movies, Ranked

Indiana Jones is known for traveling to exotic places to "study" archaeology. It's a movie series that seems grounded in reality but borders on the supernatural. But that doesn't mean you can't visit some of the same places where Indiana Jones went on his most daring adventures. Of course, some of these places are more local than others, but you can always take a little virtual tour online.

Related: 7 Reasons Why Harrison Ford Is the Perfect Replacement for the MCU's Thunderbolt Ross

That jungle scene at the start of Raiders was shot in Hule’ia National Wildlife refuge in Hawaii. The island of Kauai houses the forests and rivers where Jones had to make his daring escape on the seaplane. You can visit the rope bridge from Temple of Doom as well. That climactic scene was shot in Kandy, Sri Lanka. And while you are in Southeast Asia, visit Macau, where they shot many of the urban locations in the movie.

The famous Temple of the Sun at the end of The Last Crusade might seem like one of the most out-of-this-world places in the Indiana Jones franchise, but this is actually one of the realest places you can visit. That temple carved into the stoneface is Al-Khazneh (The Treasury), located in the ancient city of Petra, Jordan. The place houses a whole village of stone-carved structures that once housed the Nabataeans. And once you see The Dial of Destiny, you might visit Northumberland in the UK, where Bamburgh Castle offers exclusive overnight stays where this newest Indiana Jones movie was shot.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny swings into theaters on Jun. 30 later this month.

Ted Bajer is a Features Writer for Movieweb and world traveling digital nomad.