‘National Treasure’ TV Series Officially Confirmed At Disney Plus
A National Treasure spinoff series is officially on its way to Disney+. The show will offer a modern take on the beloved Disney film franchise, featuring a whole new set of younger characters. Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding, Queen of Katwe) is attached to direct the first 10-episode season, with producer Jerry Bruckheimer and original writers Marianne and Cormac Wibberley also on board. According to Deadline, the show will address timely themes including “identity, community, historical authorship and patriotism.”
The upcoming series will follow twenty-year-old DREAMer Jess Morales and her diverse group of friends as they embark on a new adventure and uncover the mysteries of Jess’ family tree. And, naturally, they discover lost treasure along the way. Jess Morales is symbolically taking the torch from Benjamin Gates, National Treasure’s fearless protagonist portrayed by Nicolas Cage. Disney has not yet set a timeline for the series’ release, nor have we heard any casting announcements. But production is definitely moving forward, which is more than can be said for a National Treasure 3.
Last May, Bruckheimer stated that both a streaming series and a big screen sequel were in the works, but it's looking like the Disney+ series is the focus right now. In the wake of year-long movie theater closures, streamable TV content is becoming more of a priority for studios in lieu of big blockbusters. In addition, a third National Treasure movie would presumably require Cage, Diane Kruger, and Justin Bartha to return, which could prove difficult due to their schedules.
A new National Treasure TV series is all well and good, but unfortunately, it doesn’t solve the problem of telling us what's written on Page 47 of the President’s Secret Book. It looks like we'll still be waiting a long time to get that answer.
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