National Treasure's Reboot Can't Work Without Nicolas Cage

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Disney+ is officially bringing back the long-dormant National Treasure franchise, but a reboot without the involvement of Nicolas Cage is a crucial mistake the studio needs to avoid. Disney has given the green light to a 10-episode series reimagining the historical treasure hunting property made famous by Cage and a deep ensemble cast in the mid-2000s. The reboot is not expected to feature the franchise's biggest star, and will instead give rise to a younger, more diverse cast than its film predecessors. Lisette Alexis will be stepping into the role of the new main character, Jess Morales, a 20-year-old DREAMer intent on uncovering her mysterious family history in pursuit of lost treasure. In a proverbial passing of the torch, Alexis will take the reins from Cage who starred as historian, treasure hunter, and cryptologist Benjamin Franklin Gates in National Treasure and National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets.

The original National Treasure, a deliberately campy action-adventure film, was released by Walt Disney Pictures in 2004. Also featuring Harvey Keitel, Jon Voight, Diane Kruger, Sean Bean, Justin Bartha, and Christopher Plummer, National Treasure centers its storyline around Gates, who hails from a long line of treasure hunters, as he pieces together clues along with wise-cracking sidekick Riley (Justin Bartha) in search of lost treasure and historic artifacts hidden away by American Freemasons during the American Revolutionary War. More entertaining than historically accurate, National Treasure received mixed reviews but enjoyed commercial success, grossing $347 million worldwide. Critics were even more divided on the sequel, National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets, which nevertheless surpassed expectations generating a