Is Nicolas Cage in the Disney+ Series ‘National Treasure: Edge of History’?
National Treasure didn’t bring Nicolas Cage an Oscar win, but it might be one of the most memorable films for the Leaving Las Vegas actor. It convinced people there really was a secret treasure map on the back of the Declaration of Independence, and it gave a new generation of moviegoers their version of Indiana Jones. The long-awaited and highly-anticipated Disney series is finally starting to come together, but will Cage be involved? Here’s what we know so far.
Disney reveals ‘National Treasure: Edge of History’ title, and fans react
Disney’s National Treasure Series Twitter account has one post, but it’s a loaded one.
The account sent its first tweet on July 6, 2022, and it revealed the title of the Disney+ series: National Treasure: Edge of History. The title card includes a pyramid with an eye inside (called The Eye of Providence) in place of the ‘A’ in Treasure.
Jerry Bruckheimer, who produced the movies, announced his intention to make a third movie in early 2020, then revealed plans for a series a few months later. The highly-anticipated Disney+ series had a pilot script ready back in 2020, and now it seems like the project is ready to move forward.
Fans reacted positively to the news. “I don’t think you know how ready I am for this,” one person tweeted. “OH MY GOD I’M SO FREAKING HAPPY THEY’RE DOING THIS! Edge of History sounds freaking AMAZING! I literally can’t believe this. The #NationalTreasure franchise is a national treasure. Bring on the US History vibes!,” another wrote.
Still, many who replied wanted to know one thing — is Nicolas Cage in it? The Adaptation star broke his no-sequels rule to make the second movie, but will he appear in Edge of History?
Will Nicolas Cage appear in ‘National Treasure: Edge of History’?
We know Justin Bartha, who played the sarcastic and wise-cracking Riley in the two movies, appears in National Treasure: Edge of History. The show’s IMDb page lists Lyndon Smith (Parenthood) and Breeda Wool (UnREAL, Mr. Mercedes) as appearing alongside Bartha in all 10 episodes.
The storyline on IMDb reads:
“A Hispanic Latina-American lead character named Jess Morales, who is a 20-year-old DREAMer, sets off on an exploration to discover the mystery of her family history, and with the help of her friends seeks to recover historical lost treasure.”
The page doesn’t list the actor playing Jess, and it doesn’t list Cage among the cast and crew. And the Face/Off actor’s IMDb page doesn’t list Edge of History among his projects. However, that doesn’t mean he couldn’t drop in for a cameo or guest star in several episodes. Disney tends to be tight-lipped about cameos or big-name guest stars appearing in Disney+ series.
Cage fans badly want a third ‘National Treasure’ movie
When Bruckheimer announced the third National Treasure movie, Cage fans reacted with excitement. The plots of the first two movies were a little far-fetched, but they both proved to be financially successful fan favorites, if not critical smashes.
National Treasure, which hit theaters in 2004, earned $347.5 million worldwide, per Box Office Mojo. Yet Rotten Tomatoes rates it just 46% fresh, and the film has the same 6.9 score as Cage’s Con Air on IMDb.
National Treasure: Book of Secrets from 2007 made $459.2 million globally, but it was just 36% fresh with a 6.5 rating on IMDb.
Will the long wait between movies be an issue? Not necessarily. Bruckheimer helped usher Top Gun: Maverick to the big screen after a 36-year wait, and it gave Tom Cruise his first billion-dollar film. Avatar: The Way of Water has intense buzz after a 13-year gap between movies.
Nicolas Cage might not appear in National Treasure: Edge of History, but it seems fans can’t wait to see him play Benjamin Gates again.
For more on the entertainment world and exclusive interviews, subscribe to Showbiz Cheat Sheet’s YouTube channel.
