Which franchise did George Lucas co-create with Steven Spielberg?

George Lucas co-created the Indiana Jones franchise with Steven Spielberg. Lucas originated the concept and story for the globe-trotting archaeologist, while Spielberg directed the films and helped shape their fast-moving adventure style.

Lucas first developed the idea in the early 1970s under the working title The Adventures of Indiana Smith. He wanted to revive the cliffhangers and visual energy of 1930s and 1940s movie serials. After Star Wars became a worldwide success, Lucas and Spielberg discussed the project while vacationing in Hawaii in 1977. Spielberg’s interest in making a James Bond-style adventure helped inspire the collaboration.

The hero’s name changed from Indiana Smith to Indiana Jones after Spielberg objected to “Smith.” Lawrence Kasdan wrote the screenplay for Raiders of the Lost Ark, the first film, which premiered in 1981 with Harrison Ford in the title role.

Lucas served as the franchise’s story creator and producer, while Spielberg directed the first four Indiana Jones films. The series is therefore distinct from Lucas’s Star Wars franchise, even though both were built around his interest in classic adventure and genre storytelling.