Raiders of the Lost Ark was released in theaters in 1981. Directed by Steven Spielberg and produced by George Lucas, it introduced Harrison Ford as archaeologist-adventurer Indiana Jones and launched one of cinema’s most influential action franchises.
The film opened in the United States and Canada on June 12, 1981. Its story follows Indiana’s race against Nazi agents to locate the Ark of the Covenant, an artifact believed to make an army invincible. Although the film faced modest pre-release audience interest, it became the highest-grossing film of 1981 and remained in some theaters for more than a year.
Raiders was originally titled Raiders of the Lost Ark and was later marketed in some contexts as Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. That title change can cause confusion when comparing release information. The film won five Academy Awards, including awards for film editing, sound, visual effects, and art direction, helping establish the series as both a blockbuster and a critical success.