National Treasure Star Reveals They Were Reluctant to Appear in Edge of History

Reports of a National Treasure TV series for Disney+ initially excited fans of the franchise, though when it was revealed that it would focus on an all-new group of characters from those featured in the movies, viewers were a bit hesitant about the project, with even franchise star Justin Bartha reluctant about the prospect. When the opportunity came for Bartha himself to deliver a cameo in National Treasure: Edge of History, he was even reluctant about getting involved, though he overcame that reluctance and reprised his role of Riley for the latest episode of the series, with him now able to enjoy the series with his family, which he can’t say about all of the projects he takes part in. New episodes of National Treasure: Edge of History premiere on Disney+ on Wednesdays.

“I was skeptical at first, if I’m going to be honest. But when I looked past my initial skepticism, I was excited to see what it was going to be,” Bartha revealed to Variety. “I have kids now, and I’m really desperate for something to watch with them. We made the original National Treasure almost 20 years ago, and those two movies are basically the only two movies I’ve ever made that my kids can watch. Being able to do something that my daughters can watch was what got me past the skepticism. And I’ve known [writers] the Wibberleys for a long time, and [director] Jon [Turteltaub] and [producer] Jerry [Bruckheimer] were involved. I knew the heart was in the right place, and they would respect the spirit of the franchise. To be honest, I didn’t jump aboard right away. But after talking with them and looking at my daughters, it was tough to turn my back.”

In the original films, Bartha’s Riley was the accomplice of Nicolas Cage’s Ben Gates, helping the figure uncover all manner of mysteries. Riley’s return in the TV series confirms that the character has pivoted to become a podcaster, sharing his knowledge with his many listeners.

“I think it definitely makes sense that he’s trying to glean as much as he possibly can from this very important experience in his life in finding these treasures. He is kind of defined by it,” the actor reacted to his character’s current status. “Podcasting seems like the natural evolution from writing books about his experience and just trying to keep the spirit and the adventure alive. I’m not sure if there are many other outlets where you could do that these days, so it kind of seems like a perfect extension of him. I’m sure some will groan, ‘Of course, he’s a podcaster.’ But everyone is a podcaster these days!”

Stay tuned for details on the future of the National Treasure franchise. New episodes of National Treasure: Edge of History premiere on Disney+ on Wednesdays.

What did you think of Riley’s return for the series? Let us know in the comments!