Variety is reporting that the cable TV network is adding the previous Indy films and the new Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull to its line up. Indy will be in good company with other action stars, as the USA Network has already secured the rights to other action movies like the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, the National Treasure movies and The Bourne Ultimatum.

Pre-buys of unreleased movies are back in vogue, and USA Network has landed a big one: Paramount and Lucasfilm's Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

USA is buying not only the latest sequel but the first three entries in the series as part of an overall deal that could cost the network $40 million, depending on the box office racked up by "Crystal Skull" in U.S. theaters. (USA's license fee is directly tied to the movie's domestic theatrical revenues.

Paramount won't be releasing "Crystal Skull" until May 22, but the deal calls for USA to get its first runs of the previous three -- "Raiders of the Lost Ark" (1981), "The Temple of Doom" (1984) and "The Last Crusade" (1989) -- in May as a marathon promotional vehicle for the new pic.

"Crystal Skull" is only the latest purchase in a marketplace distinguished by unusually active bidding for pre-release theatricals. USA is also high on sequels, having locked up the three "Pirates of the Caribbean" pics, the two "National Treasure" movies, "Ocean's Thirteen" and "The Bourne Ultimatum."

USA takes title to "Crystal Skull" in 2011, and during the course of the movie's multiyear license term, Paramount will get the right to sell a few runs to a broadcast net in a carve-out following USA's premiere group of runs.

For more details about Indy's possible $40 million dollar deal read the full article at Variety.com.