3 Temple Of Doom Sequences Originally Written For Raiders Of The Lost Ark

Steven Spielberg wound up using three undeveloped Raiders of the Lost Ark sequences for the prequel Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom features some of the greatest action sequences of its franchise, but three of the movie’s best moments were actually passed down from its predecessor, Raiders of the Lost Ark. The 1984 prequel sees Indiana Jones on a much darker adventure than the one that came before it — full of cultists ripping hearts out of live men and other instances of extremely graphic violence. For that reason, plus Temple of Doom not being as globe-trotting as Raiders of the Lost Ark or featuring the same likable female lead, the second Indiana Jones movie wasn’t met with as warm a reception upon its release.

However, in the time since its opening, the Indiana Jones prequel has grown in popularity, with Temple of Doom’s dark risks being part of why it’s considered such a classic today. The movie still features some typically great action sequences and set pieces from director Steven Spielberg, such as the intense stand-off on the bridge. Yet many of those sequences were actually leftovers from the development of Raiders of the Lost Ark. Spielberg used three sequences that were originally written for Indy’s first outing, and they happen to be the three best scenes in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

RELATED: How Temple Of Doom Subtly Undermined Raiders Of The Lost Ark’s Story

The Shanghai Fight Scene

The Shanghai sequence in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is full of music, dancing, and gunfire, and it’s such an exciting way to start the movie. The Temple of Doom opening was almost very different, though, as Spielberg wanted to shoot a chase sequence along the Great Wall of China. He ultimately went with a scene that was originally intended to be in Raiders of the Lost Ark. In the first draft of the 1981 movie’s screenplay, Indiana Jones travels to Shanghai to find a piece of the Staff of Ra (via Script Shadow), and the idea even had Indy shielding himself from bullets behind a rolling gong.

The Plane/Raft Sequence

Immediately after the Shanghai shoot-out in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Indy, Willie, and Short Round escape on a cargo aircraft. However, they quickly learn that the plane belongs to one of the antagonists, and they’re forced to jump out of the doomed flight and onto the Himalayas using a big yellow inflatable raft. The raft sequence is among Temple of Doom‘s coolest. In Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and Lawrence Kasdan’s story conference in 1978, the scene similarly would’ve followed the Shanghai sequence in Raiders of the Lost Ark (via Mad Dog Movies). Spielberg explained at the time, “The raft comes open, and he has a toboggan ride.”

The Mine Cart Chase

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom‘s final act has wall-to-wall action sequences, and one of the liveliest in the movie is the mine cart chase. However, the reason why its tone feels a little of out place in the doom-and-gloom prequel might be because it was originally intended to be in Raiders of the Lost Ark. In an early draft of that first movie’s script, a few Nazis survived at the end, and Indy and Marion had to flee inside of mining carts. Of course, had the sequence been used there, along with the other two, the prequel would have been without all of its most iconic action scenes.

MORE: Short Round Was More Important To Indy Than Willie In Temple Of Doom