There’s a Surprising Indiana Jones and Harry Potter Crossover That You Didn’t Even Know About

When one thinks of franchises Indiana Jones could crossover with, Star Wars is probably the first one that comes to mind since they’re both Lucasfilm properties. And while Dr. Jones never officially interacted with any characters from a galaxy far, far away during his adventures, the Indiana Jones films unsurprisingly feature several Star Wars Easter eggs for fans to find. Everyone knows about the R2-D2 and C-3PO hieroglyphic in Raiders of the Lost Ark or Club Obi-Wan in The Temple of Doom. But even the most die-hard Indiana Jones fans are probably unaware there’s a crossover with the popular Harry Potter franchise.

Similar to the Star Wars references in the Indy movies, this isn’t a full-blown crossover where Harry, Ron, and Hermione team up with Dr. Jones and Sallah on a mission. However, both franchises contain stories that center around the same MacGuffin: the philosopher’s (or sorcerer’s) stone.

What is Indiana Jones and the Philosopher’s Stone?

After the original Indiana Jones trilogy wrapped up with 1989’s The Last Crusade, there were attempts to keep the famed archeologist in the forefront of the zeitgeist. A series of novels were published throughout the ’90s by Bantam Books. The ninth of these, written by Max McCoy, is called Indiana Jones and the Philosopher’s Stone. Its story sees Indiana embark on a quest to find an ancient manuscript detailing alchemy secrets concerning immortality and transforming metals into gold. The document is vital to discovering the location of the Philosopher’s Stone. On this adventure, Indy works alongside Alecia, the sister of someone well-versed in the Stone’s history. Sallah also has a role in the book, joining the two when their travels take them to Libya. In typical Indiana Jones fashion, the hero is in a race against fascists to find the Stone.

[RELATED – 10 Indiana Jones Adventures You Didn’t Even Know About]

It’s important to note that Indiana Jones and the Philosopher’s Stone was published in 1995, two years before readers were introduced to the magical Wizarding World. So this isn’t an actual crossover as much as it is a very strange coincidence; for all the differences that exist between the two tales, the two stories do share one notable similarity: the presence of Nicolas Flamel, who is a character in both. Flamel was actually a real-life figure who lived from 1330-1418. Legends say he was an alchemist who created the Philosopher’s Stone and found the secret to immortality. Of course, the accuracy of such claims is up for debate, but the legends made for a fascinating element in fictional stories.

In the Harry Potter version, Flamel is only mentioned by name, but author J.K. Rowling implemented some of the legend into her take. While doing research on the Philosopher’s Stone, Harry and his friends learn that Flamel was an alchemist and wizard who was close to Dumbledore and made the magical object. Indiana Jones follows many of the same beats (minus being a wizard, of course), though in the book, there is a moment when Indy sees the old alchemist with his wife, Perenelle.

Indiana Jones and the Philosopher’s Stone Also Has a Crystal Skull

A retroactive Harry Potter connection isn’t the only surprising coincidence present in Indiana Jones and the Philosopher’s Stone. The book also marks the first appearance of a Crystal Skull in the franchise. The novel’s opening sequence sees Indy tracking down the Crystal Skull of Cozán. In a twist reminiscent of Raiders of the Lost Ark, he finds the artifact but loses it to a rival. A man known as Sarducci, an Italian who serves as the story’s primary antagonist, steals the Skull for himself.

Crystal Skulls, of course, became the titular item in the 2008 film Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, in which Indy and the Russians are in pursuit of the Crystal Skull of Akator. The movie does not reference Jones’ previous attempts to locate the Crystal Skull of Cozán, but it’s interesting to see the concept dates so far back prior to the film’s development. Initially, Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford didn’t agree with George Lucas’ decision to inject sci-fi elements into the Indiana Jones franchise, but this shows the idea had already been long established. Like the Crystal Skulls in the movie, the one from the books is said to have supernatural powers.

After the box office failure of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, it seems unlikely there will be future Indiana Jones movies. However, the franchise remains active, with the critically acclaimed video game Indiana Jones and the Great Circle gearing up for its debut on PlayStation 5. It’ll be interesting to see if its success paves the way for more Indy stories, and if those will feature any coincidental ties to other popular franchise. Perhaps Indy will track down a Tesseract next.