Justin Bartha Will Reprise His Role In The National Treasure TV Series

The "National Treasure" TV series may feature a whole new cast of adventurers, but it'll also include at least one familiar face: Justin Bartha is set to reprise the character of Riley Poole in the upcoming Disney+ series. Bartha stole scenes in both "National Treasure" films as the sardonic ally to Nicolas Cage's treasure hunter Ben.

Aside from Bartha's return, which is billed as a guest star spot per a press release, the new version of "National Treasure" looks to mostly be starting fresh. Lisette Alexis will headline the series as an apparent next-generation treasure hunter named Jess. Jess is described in official synopses as a "DREAMer," meaning she's likely a child of immigrants. The series will follow the hero as she digs into her family's mysterious past and tries to rescue an invaluable treasure.

Next-Gen Treasure Hunters, Assemble!

Catherine Zeta-Jones heads up the supporting cast as treasure hunter, billionaire, and antiquities expert Billie, while an ample friend group supports Jess along the way. Among them are Jess' best pal Tasha (Zuri Reed), the guy who's pining for her, Ethan (Jordan Rodrigues), conspiracy theorist and comic relief Oren (Antonio Cipriano), and legacy treasure hunter turned musician Liam (Austin Walker). Lyndon Smith also rounds out the cast as FBI Agent Ross.

Bartha's Riley was a fan-favorite character in the original "National Treasure" films, which were released in 2004 and 2007, respectively. The two movies made a killing at the box office, with "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" marking Cage's best opening weekend to date at the time of its release. Still, the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced series called it quits 15 years ago, meaning it'll take something really interesting to get a whole new generation invested in the franchise now. Bartha's presence will no doubt help smooth the transition by drawing erstwhile fans of the films into the series. The show also counts Bruckheimer and the films' director, Jon Turteltaub, among its executive producers.

It's been a big month for Bartha, who also starred in the most recent episode of "Atlanta" as a man named Marshall who starts to experience a very literal version of the debate surrounding reparations. The episode is certainly one of the series' more controversial outings, but Bartha does well with a tricky role. The actor previously appeared as a series regular on "The Good Fight" and "Godfather of Harlem," and is perhaps best-known outside these films for his role in "The Hangover" franchise.

If I were to speculate about Bartha's role in the film, I'd say he may play the parent of one of the new treasure hunters — perhaps Liam, who press materials describe as "a swoon-worthy struggling musician, with a permanent chip on his shoulder, who comes from a long line of treasure hunters."

"National Treasure" will debut on Disney+, and has not yet announced a release date.

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