Join Nicolas Cage on one of his more family-friendly adventures in National Treasure. It’s the movie that left everyone pondering what secrets were hidden within the nation’s most treasured exhibits and artifacts. As Benjamin Franklin Gates, Cage sets out to uncover a stockpile of jewels and metals hidden during the American Revolutionary War. When a former friend threatens the very treasure Gates is after, it becomes a race against time to beat the mercenaries to the stockpile.
National Treasure was conceived by Jim Kouf, Oren Aviv, and Charles Segars. It’s the first movie that Cage collaborated with Disney over and spawned a series that includes novelizations, one sequel, and rumors of a follow-up. Jon Turteltaub directed the 2004 adventure film with an all-star cast of Cage, Sean Bean, Diane Kruger, Justin Bartha, Jon Voight, Harvey Keitel, and Christopher Plummer.
Follow the adventures of Benjamin Franklin Gates and watch National Treasure online to see this epic tale unfold.
Here’s how to stream National Treasure right now:
How to Stream ‘National Treasure’ – Exclusively on Disney+
Disney’s National Treasure is a live-action adventure movie by about stealing the Declaration of Independence, and it is streaming exclusively on Disney’s new subscription streaming service, Disney+.
The service costs $6.99/month. You may also opt for this discount bundle of Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ for $12.99/month.
- 1. Sign up for Disney+ here
- 2. Go to Disneyplus.com or download the Disney+ app on your device
- 3. Log in using your information
- 4. Search for “National Treasure”
- 5. Tap on National Treasure
- 6. Tap the PLAY button
Disney+ also boasts a vast library of Disney-owned movies and series — plus several new original series coming soon. The service includes unlimited downloads so you can watch offline whenever and wherever you want. The list of compatible devices and smart TVs includes iPads, Apple TV, Amazon devices, Amazon Fire TV, Android, Chromecast, Roku, PS4, and Xbox One.
‘National Treasure’: Overview
Release Date: November 19, 2004
Creators: Jim Kouf, Oren Aviv, and Charles Segars
Director: Jon Turtletaub
Starring: Nicholas Cage, Sean Bean, Diane Kruger, Justin Bartha, Jon Voight, Harvey Keitel, and Christopher Plummer
Rating: PG
Synopsis:
A historian sets out to uncover a grand, centuries-old treasure before a band of mercenaries can beat him to it.
How Long Is ‘National Treasure’?
National Treasure has a runtime of 131 minutes.
‘National Treasure’ Plot
As a young boy, Benjamin Franklin Gates grew up hearing tales of great treasures scattered around the world. A stash hidden somewhere within the United States becomes his quest when he grows up. Along with Dr. Abigail Chase and Riley Poole, Gates sets out to uncover the truth behind the treasure. When his former friend Ian Howe betrays him and sets out to find the treasure himself, it becomes a race against the clock. Using what clues they have, Gates and his companions piece together the complex puzzles that feature the nation’s most notable pieces of history.
‘National Treasure’ Cast
National Treasure needed a cast that was charismatic to sell the grand adventure. With Nicolas Cage headlining, it took a step in the right direction and was later filled out by a delightful list of top actors and actresses.
Nicolas Cage as Benjamin Franklin Gates
A treasure hunter, cryptologist, and historian. Gates grew up hearing stories of a fabled treasure that he later set out to find. Hunter Gomez portrays young Benjamin Gates. Cage and director Jon Turteltaub knew each other from their high school drama class, where Turteltaub beat out Cage for the lead in Our Town.
Sean Bean as Ian Howe
Stepping in as his usual role as the movie villain, Bean portrays Gate’s former friend and entrepreneur. Driven by lust for the alleged treasure, Howe becomes the film’s primary antagonist.
Diane Kruger as Dr. Abigail Chase
Chase joins Gates on his quest for the treasure after trying to prevent him from stealing the Declaration of Independence. Kruger performed most of her own stunts in the film’s thrilling car chase scene and was only one of two cast members to earn an award nomination. She was nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Justin Bartha as Riley Poole
The third member of Gates’ team, Poole is a computer expert that helps when things get technical. He is Gates’ friend and aids him in hunting down the mysterious treasure.
Harvey Keitel as Agent Peter Sadusky
When Gates’ antics attract the attention of the FBI, Agent Sadusky leads the case. As Gates later finds out, there’s more to Sadusky than being a government agent.
‘National Treasure’ Songs and Soundtrack
Scored by Trevor Rabin, the National Treasure soundtrack was fitting for the film’s adventures. Though not as well-received as other Walt Disney soundtracks, the 12-song soundtrack has received favorable reviews. During one scene, the score features a selection of bars from the Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl soundtrack, another Walt Disney project. The soundtrack was awarded a BMI Film Music Award.
‘National Treasure’ at the Box Office
National Treasure was a relative success at the box office. Against a budget of $100 million, the film took home a worldwide total of $347.5 million. On its opening day, National Treasure scored $11 million in American cinemas, beating out The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie by approximately $2 million. At the close of its opening weekend, the Nicolas Cage adventure had earned a total of $35.1 million off of 4,300 screens. It secured the No. 1 spot upon release and stayed there for three weekends.
‘National Treasure’ Reviews – What the Critics Said
With Nicolas Cage in the lead, National Treasure was sure to earn favor at the very least for his often boisterous personality. What did take away from overall critic consensus was the film’s plot, which was dubbed “highly improbable.” The film is often praised for being a “fun ride.” Despite the mediocre critical response, National Treasure went on to earn seven award nominations, including a Teen Choice Award for Movie: Action/Adventure and an Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films Saturn Award for Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Film.
Where ‘National Treasure’ Fits in the Disney Movie Pantheon
National Treasure falls in line with many of Disney’s action-packed adventures. Its booming score and likable cast of characters earned it one sequel in 2007 and talks of a third as recently as January 2020. Due to its poor critical reception, National Treasure never launched as a major Walt Disney production and has since been overshadowed by franchises like Pirates of the Caribbean.
‘National Treasure’ Trailer
‘National Treasure’ Trivia: 5 Fast Facts
There are many secrets hidden within the United States for Benjamin Gates to uncover. Like the contents of the movie, the production itself has its own gems to hunt down, five of which are laid out below.
1. Accurate Adventures
Despite being a movie about a hidden treasure, National Treasure isn’t all fantasy. Since it’s dealing with real historical artifacts and timelines, there were some things the movie had to get right. For instance, the Freemans and the Knights Templar were real secret societies and Benjamin Franklin was a member of the former. The treasure the film is based around is also a real legend, which claims the Templar Knights had a stockpile that eventually found its way to the United States.
2. Recreating Independence Hall
It’s not always easy to film on location. Especially if one of those locations is Independence Hall. To be able to film in Independence Hall, the crew had to build Independence Hall. The depiction of the hall seen in National Treasure is a brick-for-brick replica, provided by Walter Knott of Knott’s Berry Farm in California. Knott had the replica built in the 60s and was happy to lend it to the production.
3. Money and Time
To continue on his adventure, Gates must read the time depicted on a $100 bill. That there’d be a clock on American currency may sound ridiculous, but bills circulated at that time were known for having a clock that read 2:22. The Treasury Department has never revealed why the $100 bill had a time on it, but a 2009 redesign changed the time to 10:30.
4. Named for the Nation’s Leaders
Characters Benjamin Franklin Gates, Patrick Henry Gates, and John Adams Gates may have some very familiar-sounding names. That’s because they were all named after three of the nation’s founding fathers – Benjamin Franklin, Patrick Henry, and John Adams. Even Abigail Chase is a call back to Abigail Adams, John Adams’ wife, and Samuel Chase, who’s name is on the Declaration of Independence.
5. There’s no Map, but…
There is something written on the back of the Declaration of Independence. Sure, a map would be quite the find, but the text on the back is a bit more boring than that. And it’s not even written in invisible ink. Flip over the original declaration and you’ll find: “Original Declaration of Independence dated 4th July 1775.” It’s believed that the notation was added as a means of labeling that document as it would have been rolled up for storage.