Justin Bartha, who brought the character of Riley Poole to life in the National Treasure franchise is returning to the role. Disney has announced that he will be appearing in the National Treasure original series that is being made for Disney+. This series is an expansion of the original movie franchise. In this case, the story centers on a young DREAMer named Jess (Lisette Alexis) who finds herself on an adventure of a lifetime as she seeks to uncover the truth about her family’s past. While she is doing this, she also is trying to save a lost Pan-American treasure.
Disney released the following bio about Bartha:
Known by many for starring in two beloved billion-dollar franchises, Todd Phillips’ “The Hangover” trilogy and the “National Treasure” movies, Bartha can currently be seen receiving rave reviews for his standalone episode “The Big Payback” on FX’s Atlanta. Other recent credits include co-starring in the critically acclaimed television dramas “Godfather of Harlem” and “The Good Fight.” Bartha’s additional credits include “Sweet Girl” opposite Jason Momoa on Netflix, “Driven” alongside Jason Sudeikis, Elizabeth Wood’s “White Girl,” “Holy Rollers” with Jesse Eisenberg, Todd Solondz’s “Dark Horse,” “The Rebound” opposite Catherine Zeta-Jones and Ryan Murphy’s “The New Normal.” Stage credits include the Tony®-nominated revival of “Lend Me A Tenor” opposite Tony Shaloub, Jesse Eisenberg’s “Asunción,” Robert Askins’ “Permission” and Neil Simon’s “Sunshine Boys.”
Bartha joins a solid cast that has already been announced for the series. This includes
- Catherine Zeta-Jones as Billie, a “badass billionaire, black-market antiquities expert and treasure hunter who lives by her own code”
- Zuri Reed as Tasha, “Jess’ ride-or-die friend who joins the treasure hunt but is forced to reevaluate her belief system to help her best friend”
- Jordan Rodrigues as Ethan, “Jess’ childhood best friend who has loved her since the day they met”
- Antonio Cipriano as Oren, “a loveable but self-obsessed goofball with an encyclopedic knowledge of conspiracy theories that attempts to win back Tasha’s affections”
- Jake Austin Walker as Liam, “a swoon-worthy struggling musician, with a permanent chip on his shoulder, who comes from a long line of treasure hunters”
In the series, Jess recruits her friends to come together and help uncover the truth behind her parents and their connection to the treasure. They are joined by FBI Agent Ross, played by Lyndon Smith, who also assists in this quest.
What do you think about Justin Bartha joining the cast of the National Treasure series? What do you think of this series in general currently? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
