Raiders of the Lost Ark , also known as Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark , is an adventure film that came out in 1981 from Paramount Pictures . The film was directed by Steven Spielberg , and produced by George Lucas . Raiders of the Lost Ark ( also known as Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark ) is a 1981 American action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg , produced by George Lucas , and starring Harrison Ford .