Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of the best adventure films ever made. Over 40 years later it is still considered one of director Steven Spielberg’s best features and Harrison Ford’s first outing as Indiana Jones is just iconic. Now you can relive the adventure as Paramount Pictures and Lucasfilm are releasing a stunning new 4K Blu-ray SteelBook that belongs in a museum.
The steelbook releases on June 14, 2022, and features the classic poster art of Indy with his whip in front of the famous Ark of the Covenant. This limited edition release also comes with a mini reproduction poster from the film and a digital code. While the entire franchise was released in 4K as a part of a giant box set last year, this is the first time the films will be released in 4K individually. Raiders will be the first of four SteelBook releases. Temple of Doom will be released July 12, Last Crusade will be released on August 16, and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull will be released on September 20.
When Raiders was released in 1981 it wonderfully recaptured the magic that was found in the old adventure serials of the 30s and 40s. The action sequences were thrilling, the performances were memorable, and the screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan had a great blend of heart, humor, romance, and political/religious intrigue. The original film pushed the boundaries of what could be done with the PG rating with a lot of gruesome death scenes, blood, and horrific imagery. That is something that would be pushed even further in its sequel Temple of Doom which led to the creation of the PG-13 rating. On top of that, the musical score by the legendary John Williams is one of the best in cinematic history and everyone knows Indy’s theme. Every time you hear it, you just want to dawn a fedora and go on an adventure of a lifetime.
Raiders simply changed the landscape of cinema. To the point where every adventure film today has tried to replicate Indiana Jones’ treasured allure. The Mummy, Tomb Raider, National Treasure, and Uncharted all have Indy to thank for their success. Every new film in the genre strives to be Indiana Jones. With a few minor exceptions, few have captured the hearts of moviegoers like that snake-fearing adventurer.
In a world where the sky seems to be falling on physical media, it is great to see a big studio like Paramount still releasing great new additions like this for their classic library of films. There is no better time to release these new beautiful SteelBooks as Indiana Jones 5 is finally set to release next year on June 30.
Until then, you can pre-order the new Raiders of the Lost Ark SteelBook on Best Buy or Amazon’s Websites for $24.99. However, if you can’t wait till then, you can stream all four high-flying adventure films on Paramount+ now.
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