Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is a 2008 adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg, from a story co-written by executive producer George Lucas. Set in 1957, this fourth film in the Indiana Jones film series pits an older and wiser Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) against agents of the Soviet Union—led by Spalko (Cate Blanchett)—for the crystal skull. Indy is assisted by his former lover Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen) as well as the greaser Mutt (Shia LaBeouf) and fellow archaeologist Mac (Ray Winstone). John Hurt and Jim Broadbent also play fellow academics.

The film was in development hell since the 1989 release of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, because Spielberg and Ford initially disagreed over Lucas's choice of the skull as the plot device. Screenwriters Jeb Stuart, Jeffrey Boam, M. Night Shyamalan, Frank Darabont and Jeff Nathanson wrote drafts, before David Koepp's script satisfied all three men. Shooting finally commenced on June 18 2007, and took place at New Mexico, New Haven, Connecticut, Hawaii, Fresno, California, and soundstages in Los Angeles. In order to keep aesthetic continuity with the previous films, there will be minimal use of computer-generated imagery and more of a reliance on traditional stuntwork, and cinematographer Janusz Kaminski has adapted his style to that of Douglas Slocombe from the previous films.

Marketing will rely heavily on the public's nostalgia for the series, with products taking inspiration from all four films. Anticipation for the film resulted in a legal dispute over an extra violating his non-disclosure agreement, and another man was arrested for stealing a computer containing various documents related to the project. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is scheduled for a worldwide release on May 22, 2008.

By 3 June 2003, Frank Darabont's script was being reported as being complete. The production crew stated that the film would be shot the same way as the previous three - with stunt men, rather than computer generated effects.

M. Night Shyamalan and Tom Stoppard were each asked to pen a draft of the screenplay.

In April 2004, the project was supposedly shelved once more after George Lucas rejected the script by Frank Darabont earlier. Reportedly, Lucas did not like Darabont's handling of the storyline between Indy and his brother (both Indy's father played by Sean Connery and brother, a role for which Kevin Costner was rumored to be considered, were to have roles in the new movie). In media reports Darabont indicated he was "disappointed" with the decision.

At one point, Calista Flockhart was attached to the project.

This is the first Indiana Jones film without Pat Roach, who had a role in the first three films. Roach died in 2004.

The first Indiana Jones film not photographed by Douglas Slocombe (I).

Sean Connery was asked to reprise his role as Henry Jones, Sr. from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). But Connery turned it down because he did not want to come out of retirement.

Before ‘The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull’ was chosen as the title, several other titles were considered and even registered with the MPAA in August 2007, including ‘The City of Gods’, ‘The Destroyer of Worlds’, ‘The Fourth Corner of the Earth’, ‘The Lost City of Gold’, and finally, ‘The Quest for the Covenant’.

Shia LaBeouf revealed the movie's official title during his appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards 2007 (2007) (TV).