The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles Indiana Jones feature films, the cast and crew frequently questioned creator George Lucas about the Indiana Jones character's life growing up. During the concept stages of "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade", Lucas and director Steven Spielberg decided to reveal some of this backstory in the film's opening scenes. For these scenes, Lucas chose River Phoenix to portray the character, as Harrison Ford believed that Phoenix most resembled Ford as a young man (Phoenix had appeared as Ford's son in "The Mosquito Coast"). This decision to reveal an adventure of a young Indiana led Lucas and crew to the idea
Indiana Jones to various prior adventurers, aspects of Indiana Jones also directly influenced some subsequent characterizations: Indiana Jones Dr. Henry Walton "Indiana" Jones, Jr. is the title character and protagonist of the "Indiana Jones" franchise. George Lucas created the character in homage to the action heroes of 1930s film serials. The character first appeared in the 1981 film "Raiders of the Lost Ark", to be followed by "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" in 1984, "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" in 1989, "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles" from 1992 to 1996, and "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal