Justin Bartha‘s getting back into the treasure hunting game. The actor will return to the “National Treasure” series for the upcoming series of the same name, Disney Plus announced Monday.
Bartha starred in the two “National Treasure” films, released in 2004 and 2007 as Riley Poole, the best friend and computer expert sidekick of treasure hunting lead Benjamin Franklin Gates (Nicolas Cage). Bartha will appear in a guest capacity for the upcoming Disney Plus series, which stars a new cast of treasure hunters searching for a lost Pan-American treasure.
In addition to starring in “National Treasure,” Bartha is best known for starring in the three “Hangover” films. On television, he starred in “The Good Fight” on Paramount Plus for two seasons, and the second season of Showtime’s “Godfather of Harlem.” Other credits include “Sweet Girl,” “Driven,” “White Girl,” “Holy Rollers,” “Dark Horse,” “The Rebound” and “The New Normal.” On stage, he has performed in the 2010 Broadway revival of “Lend Me A Tenor” opposite Tony Shaloub, Jesse Eisenberg’s “Asunción,” Robert Askins’ “Permission” and Neil Simon’s “Sunshine Boys.” He also recently starred in the latest episode of the FX comedy series “Atlanta,” “The Big Payback.”
Bartha is repped by CAA, MGMT. Entertainment and Jackoway Tyerman Wertheimer Austen Mandelbaum Morris & Klein.
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The Disney Plus “National Treasure” series will star Lisette Alexis as Jess, a young DREAMer who unearths mysterious truths about her families past. Catherine Zeta-Jones, who has previously starred with Bartha in “The Rebound,” also stars, along with Zuri Reed, Jordan Rodrigues, Antonio Cipriano, Jake Austin Walker and Lyndon Smith. The series is executive produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, Cormac and Marianne Wibberley, Jonathan Littman, KristieAnne Reed, Jon Turteltaub, Mira Nair and Rick Muirragui. Nair will direct, while Murragui serves as a writer for the show. “National Treasure” is produced by ABC Signature, part of Disney Television Studios. Filming is currently underway in Baton Rouge.
The Disney Plus series isn’t the only planned expansion of the “National Treasure” franchise; a third film is currently in development, with “Bad Boys for Life” screenwriter Chris Bremner writing the script.