Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and Sallah escape the temple and then ride off into the sunset. Lucas and Spielberg had intended to make a trilogy of "Indiana Jones" films since Lucas had first pitched "Raiders of the Lost Ark" to Spielberg in 1977. After the mixed critical and public reaction to "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom", Spielberg decided to complete the trilogy to fulfill his promise to Lucas and "to apologize for the second one". The pair had the intention of revitalizing the series by evoking the spirit and tone of "Raiders of the Lost Ark". Throughout the film's development and pre-production,
Indiana Jones Costume designer Deborah Nadoolman Landis noted that the inspiration for the series as well as Indiana Jones' outfit was Charlton Heston's Harry Steele in "Secret of the Incas" (1954) and called "Raiders of the Lost Ark" "almost a shot for shot" remake of the Heston film, citing that Indiana Jones was "a kinder, gentler Harry Steele": "We did watch this film together as a crew several times, and I always thought it strange that the filmmakers did not credit it later as the inspiration for the series." Many people are said to be the real-life inspiration of the Indiana Jones