It’s been over a decade since Nicolas Cage last graced screens as “National Treasure”‘s Declaration of Independence-stealing, president-kidnapping Benjamin Franklin Gates, but more thrill-seeking adventures are coming our way – this time, in the form of a new TV series!
On July 21, Disney+ unveiled the first look at “National Treasure: Edge of History” – an original series that expands on the movie franchise. During the 2022 San Diego Comic-Con, the streamer debuted both a 15-second teaser trailer and behind-the-scenes featurette for the original show, which stars young heroine Jess (Lisette Olivera) as its new lead.
In “National Treasure: Edge of History,” Jess acts as a “brilliant and resourceful” dreamer, per the series logline, who embarks on an epic adventure to uncover the truth about her family and save a lost Pan-American treasure. In addition to Olivera, the cast of the show includes Zuri Reed, Jordan Rodrigues, Antonio Cipriano, Jake Austin Walker and Lyndon Smith, and Harvey Keitel and Justin Bartha – both in guest roles reprising their movie characters, Deadline reported.
Jerry Bruckheimer and Jon Turteltaub – both of whom worked on the OG “National Treasure” film and its 2007 follow-up – are executive producers on “National Treasure: Edge of History,” alongside Jon Turteltaub, Cormac and Marianne Wibberley, Jonathan Littman, and KristieAnne Reed. Rick Muirragui serves as a writer, while Mira Nair directs and also executive produces the forthcoming series – which has yet to set an official premiere date other than Disney+’s confirmation that it’ll be “streaming soon.”
For fans hoping to get a Cage cameo in the new Disney+ show, it’s unlikely that he’ll reprise his leading role (for now, at least). During Comic-Con, Wibberley said, “We wanted him, but he is very busy,” while Olivera seemed hopeful that maybe they’ll get the actor to join the show in some capacity one day, Variety reported.
Speaking of Cage, a third “National Treasure” film is reportedly still happening, according to Bruckheimer, as he previously told Deadline that he’s working on the next installment. Fans are hoping to see the same cast (Cage as Gates, Bartha as Riley Poole, and Diane Kruger as Abigail Chase) return for the film.
Sure, Disney+’s series won’t be quite the same without Cage at the center of the action, but we’re still waiting with bated breath to see which hidden riches the new batch of characters discover. Check out the “National Treasure: Edge of History” teaser above and get ready for the adventure to continue – the possibilities are endless!