Disney + is making my National Treasure dreams come true with a new series! The long-dormant National Treasure franchise saw its last movie success in 2007 with the sequel National Treasure: Book of Secrets. And I’ve been patiently (not so patiently) waiting for a sequel/spin-off or practically anything to feed my National Treasure needs. Even though the OG cast has no plans to return, as far as we know, there’s hope on the horizon because of the brand new direction that the series is going.
The National Treasure series, newly greenlit for Disney+ and to be directed by acclaimed director Mira Nair, is going for a younger and more diverse line-up when it comes to who will star on the treasure-hunting show. And while we don’t know who will actually star in the series yet, we do know that the lead will be a Latinx character. And it’s exactly what I need in the wasteland that is a lack of Latinx shows with Latinx leads on TV. Yes, Love, Victor and Diary of a Future President count. But with the cancellation of One Day at a Time and the lack of news when it comes to Julie and the Phantoms, we’re hurting here when it comes to Latinx content.
National Treasure having a Latinx lead matters, especially to the National Treasure nerds like me who absolutely loved the Nicolas Cage movies and always hoped to see someone like me or my family on screen. And that’s coming to Disney + in the form of lead character Jess Morales. According to Deadline, she’s a twenty-year-old DREAMer who sets out to discover the mysteries surrounding her family history and recover lost treasure. This is exactly the kind of hero we can’t wait to see a spotlight on in 2021.
The 10-episode order of the National Treasure series will also include a diverse group of friends to go along this adventure with Jess. This experience seems like the quest of a lifetime. And I’m looking forward to how this group of friends interacts, where they come from, and how their lives differ from Jess. I especially want to know the last bit because Jess is a DREAMer in the United States who is still trying to figure out where a person like her belongs.
That’s why it’s so important that the National Treasure series is exploring the “timely issues of identity, community, historical authorship and patriotism.” That in combination with Marianne and Cormac Wibberley, the original writers of the National Treasure films, returning to write the series feels like a win all around. Mira Nair, known for her work on A Suitable Boy and Queen of Katwe, among many other films, is set to direct.
All of this excitement doesn’t mean we don’t have concerns. We must remember though that having a Latinx lead isn’t enough. If you’re going to tell a Latinx story you need people who have lived the Latinx experience. That means bringing in Latinx writers, producers, and directors. That means taking the time to listen to whomever they cast as Jess. And that means actually hiring a Latinx actress to play a Latinx character. The distinction matters and I hope Disney+ takes into consideration all these elements in creating what looks like a promising and exciting project.
(image: Disney +)
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