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Tag: National Treasure

Best 4th of July Movies

Bruce Willis in ‘Live Free or Die Hard’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.

It’s the 4th of July!

Once you are done with your barbecue and fireworks, there is no better way to celebrate than by relaxing and watching a movie with your friends and family.

Moviefone has compiled a list of the best films to watch on the 4th of July which includes movies that take place on or around Independence Day, or just celebrate the United States growth and history as a country.

Let’s begin!

20. ‘Days of Thunder‘ (1990)

Tom Cruise in ‘Days of Thunder’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

Talented but unproven stock car driver Cole Trickle (Tom Cruise) gets a break and with the guidance of veteran Harry Hogge (Robert Duvall) turns heads on the track. The young hotshot develops a rivalry with a fellow racer (Michael Rooker) that threatens his career when the two smash their cars. But with the help of his doctor (Nicole Kidman), Cole just might overcome his injuries– and his fear.
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19. ‘Patriot Games‘ (1992)

When CIA Analyst Jack Ryan (Harrison Ford) interferes with an IRA assassination, a renegade faction targets Jack and his family as revenge.
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18. ‘Apollo 13‘ (1995)

The true story of technical troubles that scuttle the Apollo 13 lunar mission in 1970, risking the lives of astronaut Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks) and his crew, with the failed journey turning into a thrilling saga of heroism. Drifting more than 200,000 miles from Earth, the astronauts work furiously with the ground crew to avert tragedy.
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17. ‘The American President‘ (1995)

Widowed U.S. president Andrew Shepherd (Michael Douglas), one of the world’s most powerful men, can have anything he wants — and what he covets most is Sydney Ellen Wade (Annette Bening), a Washington lobbyist. But Shepherd’s attempts at courting her spark wild rumors and decimate his approval ratings.
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16. ‘Harriet‘ (2019)

The extraordinary tale of Harriet Tubman’s (Cynthia Erivo) escape from slavery and transformation into one of America’s greatest heroes. Her courage, ingenuity and tenacity freed hundreds of slaves and changed the course of history.
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15. ‘Civil War‘ (2024)

Kirsten Dunst in ‘Civil War.’ Photo: A24.

In the near future, a group of war journalists attempt to survive while reporting the truth as the United States stands on the brink of civil war.
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14. ‘Dances with Wolves‘ (1990)

Wounded Civil War soldier, John Dunbar (Kevin Costner) tries to commit suicide—and becomes a hero instead. As a reward, he’s assigned to his dream post, a remote junction on the Western frontier, and soon makes unlikely friends with the local Sioux tribe.
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13. ‘Glory‘ (1989)

Robert Gould Shaw (Matthew Broaderick) leads the US Civil War’s first all-black volunteer company, fighting prejudices of both his own Union army and the Confederates.
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12. ‘A League of Their Own‘ (1992)

As America’s stock of athletic young men is depleted during World War II, a professional all-female baseball league springs up in the Midwest, funded by publicity-hungry candy maker Walter Harvey (Garry Marshall). Competitive sisters Dottie Hinson (Genna Davis) and Kit Keller (Lori Petty) spar with each other, scout Ernie Capadino (Jon Lovitz) and grumpy has-been coach Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks) on their way to fame.
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11. ‘Lincoln‘ (2012)

The revealing story of the 16th US President’s tumultuous final months in office. In a nation divided by war and the strong winds of change, Lincoln (Daniel Day-Lewis) pursues a course of action designed to end the war, unite the country and abolish slavery. With the moral courage and fierce determination to succeed, his choices during this critical moment will change the fate of generations to come.
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10. ‘Captain America: Brave New World‘ (2025)

Captain America/Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) in Marvel Studios’ ‘Captain America: Brave New World’. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2024 Marvel.

After meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford), Sam (Anthony Mackie) finds himself in the middle of an international incident. He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.
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9. ‘Born on the Fourth of July‘ (1989)

The biography of Ron Kovic (Tom Cruise). Paralyzed in the Vietnam war, he becomes an anti-war and pro-human rights political activist after feeling betrayed by the country he fought for.
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8. ‘Forrest Gump‘ (1994)

A man with a low IQ (Tom Hanks) has accomplished great things in his life and been present during significant historic events—in each case, far exceeding what anyone imagined he could do. But despite all he has achieved, his one true love (Robin Wright) eludes him.
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7. ‘Hamilton‘ (2020)

Presenting the tale of American founding father Alexander Hamilton (Lin-Manuel Miranda), this filmed version of the original Broadway smash hit is the story of America then, told by America now.
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6. ‘Jaws‘ (1975)

When an insatiable great white shark terrorizes the townspeople of Amity Island, the police chief (Roy Scheider), an oceanographer (Richard Dreyfuss) and a grizzled shark hunter (Robert Shaw) seek to destroy the blood-thirsty beast.
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5. ‘Live Free or Die Hard‘ (2007)

Bruce Willis in ‘Live Free or Die Hard’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.

John McClane (Bruce Willis) is back and badder than ever, and this time he’s working for Homeland Security. He calls on the services of a young hacker in his bid to stop a ring of Internet terrorists intent on taking control of America’s computer infrastructure.
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4. ‘National Treasure‘ (2004)

Modern treasure hunters, led by archaeologist Ben Gates (Nicolas Cage), search for a chest of riches rumored to have been stashed away by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin during the Revolutionary War. The chest’s whereabouts may lie in secret clues embedded in the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, and Gates is in a race to find the gold before his enemies do.
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3. ‘Top Gun: Maverick‘ (2022)

After more than thirty years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him. When he finds himself training a detachment of TOPGUN graduates for a specialized mission the likes of which no living pilot has ever seen, Maverick encounters Lt. Bradley Bradshaw (Miles Teller), call sign: “Rooster,” the son of Maverick’s late friend and Radar Intercept Officer Lt. Nick Bradshaw, aka “Goose.” Facing an uncertain future and confronting the ghosts of his past, Maverick is drawn into a confrontation with his own deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who will be chosen to fly it.
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2. ‘Independence Day‘ (1996)

On July 2, a giant alien mothership enters orbit around Earth and deploys several dozen saucer-shaped ‘destroyer’ spacecraft that quickly lay waste to major cities around the planet. On July 3, the United States conducts a coordinated counterattack that fails. On July 4, a plan is devised to gain access to the interior of the alien mothership in space, in order to plant a nuclear missile. The movie stars Jeff Goldblum, Will Smith, and Bill Pullman.
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1. ‘Saving Private Ryan‘ (1998)

Matt Damon in ‘Saving Private Ryan’. Photo: DreamWorks Pictures.

As U.S. troops storm the beaches of Normandy, three brothers lie dead on the battlefield, with a fourth (Matt Damon) trapped behind enemy lines. Ranger captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) and seven men (Edward Burns, Tom Sizemore, Jeremy Davies, Vin Diesel, Adam Goldberg, Barry Pepper and Giovanni Ribisi) are tasked with penetrating German-held territory and bringing the boy home.
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July 4, 2025
‘National Treasure: Edge of History’ Interview: Catherine Zeta-Jones

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Premiering December 14th on Disney+ is the new series ‘National Treasure: Edge of History,’ which is a continuation of the ‘National Treasure’ film series starring Nicolas Cage.

With a pilot directed by Mira Nair (‘Mississippi Masala’), the new series stars Lisette Olivera, Lyndon Smith, Zuri Reed, Jake Austin Walker, Antonio Cipriano, Jordan Rodrigues, and Oscar-winner Catherine Zeta-Jones.

The series will also see the return of movie franchise actors Justin Bartha as Riley Poole, and Harvey Keitel as FBI agent Peter Sadusky.

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Catherine Zeta-Jones about her work on ‘National Treasure: Edge of History,’ why she wanted to be part of the series, and why fans of the movies will enjoy the new show.

Catherine Zeta-Jones stars in Disney+’s ‘National Treasure: Edge of History.’

You can read our full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Zeta-Jones, Lisette Olivera, Lyndon Smith, Zuri Reed, Jake Austin Walker, Antonio Cipriano, and Jordan Rodrigues.

Moviefone: To begin with, at this point in your career, what intrigued you about playing this role and joining this series?

Catherine Zeta-Jones: Well, I love the original movies, the franchise, and it kind of lends into what I love to do. I’m a history buff myself. I’m constantly on the hunt for finding some treasure in some flea market somewhere in the world. That’s what I like to do when I’m not acting. The idea of playing a character like Billie Pearce with this new injection of youth and also at 20-years on, I mean, the technology that one can use to track these treasures was just intriguing.

Like you said, at this point in my career, I want to work on a good project with a good company like Disney, and work with some really great actors and have fun. Everything is a bonus for me. I love to work. I love the camaraderie of being on a set on these fun projects. With a series like this, we have 10 hours to find a character, to show the nuances and to take the audience on this kind of rollercoaster ride, and it’s fun.

Catherine Zeta-Jones stars in Disney+’s ‘National Treasure: Edge of History.’

MF: Finally, the series features many connections to the original film series. Do you think fans of the movies will enjoy the new show?

CZJ: I hope so. I think that we haven’t lost all the different elements that made them so great. First of all, we have the original writers, so it’s their vision of what happens next. The series has all the elements. It has the humor, it has the intrigue, it has the adventure. I think audiences today, and I speak for myself, there’s so much bad going on in the world. We want to be taken out of reality and taken on an adventure if we are going to invest anytime sitting in front of our television screens. That’s the way we are as a family. I think this has all the elements that an audience, a family, will love because it’s a generational piece.

My niece, who’s eight years old, can watch it with my kids who are in their 20s, and me and my husband, and my mom. It’s a great family ride. I think as audiences, we love that. There’s something very comforting about it, and also very comforting for our generation. But when I told my kids I was doing the series, I had this long-winded explanation about the plot. They went, “Are you talking about ‘National Treasure?’” I said, “You know it?” So, I was behind, and a bit slow. So, that’s fun. It’s not reinventing the wheel, it’s taking the wheel and taking it on another ride in the same world, but just different.

‘National Treasure: Edge of History’ premieres December 14th on Disney+.

December 18, 2022
Comic-Con 2022: ‘National Treasure: Edge of History’ Teaser and Poster

In 2004 and 2007, we watched Nicolas Cage, Diane Kruger and Justin Bartha go hunting for historical artifacts, following clues and unearthing documents in the two ‘National Treasure’ movies.

That was then, and this is now, and though there continues to be talk of a third ‘National Treasure’ outing in the works, Disney’s focus has instead shifted to a Disney+ series version, set in the same universe but featuring (mostly) new characters.

One big character coming back for more fun is Bartha’s Riley Poole, who, as he jokingly says in the behind-the-scenes featurette, was once the young guy but is now… not so much.

The series focuses on a young heroine, Jess (Lisette Olivera), a brilliant and resourceful DREAMer who embarks on the adventure of a lifetime to uncover the truth about her family’s mysterious past and save a lost Pan-American treasure.

In addition to Olivera, the series also stars 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.

Antonio Cipriano is Oren, a lovable but self-obsessed goofball with an encyclopedic knowledge of conspiracy theories that attempts to win back Tasha’s affections. Then there’s Jordan Rodrigues as Ethan, Jess’ childhood best friend who has loved her since the day they met.

‘National Treasure: Edge of History’ exclusively on Disney+.

Jake Austin Walker plays Liam, a swoon-worthy struggling musician, with a permanent chip on his shoulder, who comes from a long line of treasure hunters, with Lyndon Smith as FBI Agent Ross, a dogged investigator who begins to realize there’s a greater conspiracy at hand.

Up until today, the biggest name on the call sheet was Catherine Zeta-Jones playing Billie, a badass billionaire, black-market antiquities expert and treasure hunter who lives by her own code.

But as of today’s Comic-Con panel, we now know that Harvey Keitel is coming back to reprise his role of Peter Sadusky. An FBI agent who frequently butted heads with Cage’s Ben Gates, he’ll likely be sprinkled throughout the season.

As for Cage himself? Show co-creator Marianne Wibberly (who, along with husband and co-writer Cormac, scripted the movies) said on the show’s con panel, “We wanted him, but he is very busy.” She added that he will “maybe” pop up in future if he has time.

The Wibberlys are just part of the connective creative tissue between the movies and the series, as Jerry Bruckheimer is also involved. Director Jon Turteltaub, however, isn’t behind the camera for this one (though he does have an executive producer credit), with Mira Nair handling that job.

With the series still in production, the producers didn’t have a lot of footage to show but did offer a 15-second teaser focused on Olivera’s Jess, which you can see below.

There are no details yet on when the show will hit Disney+, but next year seems most likely.

July 21, 2022
Catherine Zeta-Jones Joins ‘National Treasure’ TV Series

Catherine Zeta-Jones in ‘Chicago’

It feels like it’s been a long time since we last saw Catherine Zeta-Jones in movies, and indeed you have to go back to 2016’s adaptation of classic British sitcom ‘Dad’s Army’ to find a credit.

That streak doesn’t appear to be ending soon, but she has at least joined a new TV project that is connected to a movie series: Zeta-Jones will be one of the leads on the Disney+ ‘National Treasure’ spin-off series.

And talking of something we haven’t seen in theaters for a long time, the ‘National Treasure’ franchise hasn’t produced a movie since 2007 sequel ‘Book of Secrets’, which was the last time Nicolas Cage’s Benjamin Franklin Gates was running around trying to track down some historical artifact and crack a mystery.

The ‘National Treasure’ movies have always been oddities for Disney – they didn’t grab the best reviews, but the box office was solid enough, as audiences enjoyed the likes of Cage, Diane Kruger, Justin Bartha, Jon Voight, and Helen Mirren solving clues and finding themselves under threat from baddies who wanted what they were hunting.

(L to R) Nicolas Cage, Diane Kruger, and Jon Voight in ‘National Treasure’

Talk of a third film has lingered for years, but never made it past the script stage despite the efforts of producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Jon Turteltaub.

In the last couple of years, though, they turned their attention to the small screen, and Disney+’s ever-present hunger for new content, especially if it’s tied to recognizable stories and titles.

Bruckheimer and Turteltaub are executive producers here, working alongside writers Marianne and Cormac Wibberley, who worked on both movies and have crafted the pilot for the series.

Mira Nair will direct that first episode, which swaps the focus from Cage’s character to young heroine Jess Morales (Lisette Alexis) — a DREAMer in search of answers about her family — who embarks on the adventure of a lifetime to uncover the truth about the past and save a lost Pan-American treasure.

Zeta-Jones, who won an Oscar for her performance in ‘Chicago’, will play Billie, a billionaire, black-market antiquities expert, and treasure hunter who lives by her own code. She transformed herself from a penniless orphan to a shrewd, stylish businesswoman and adventurer. Billie’s used to getting what she wants; and she wants the Pan-American treasure. But not just for the money. This treasure has deeper stakes for her.

Alongside the lead pair, the cast also includes Lyndon Smith (as Agent Ross, an FBI agent who aids Jess), Zuri Reed (as Jess’ best friend Tasha), Jake Austin Walker (as a handsome struggling musician with a treasure hunting lineage), Antonio Cipriano (as a goofball conspiracy theorist) and Jordan Rodrigues (as another friend of Jess who also carries a torch for her).

Billie sounds like a good match for Zeta-Jones, especially since it gives us 1999 thriller ‘Entrapment’, though this show will probably feature fewer catsuits and awkward flirting with Sean Connery.

‘National Treasure’ the series has a 10-episode first season order already and will start filming episodes in Baton Rouge this month.
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February 7, 2022