With its thousands of entertainment options, you can always count on Disney+ for something to watch during any event, celebration, or holiday. After kicking off the summer with some sunny, beachy shows and films, it’s time to celebrate the Fourth of July with some extra magic.
The streaming service is full of movies, musicals and Marvel for the whole family to enjoy this Independence Day, all of which showcase American themes, notable history, and even some impressive rapping.
‘Hamilton’
Hamilton took Broadway by storm in 2015 when Lin Manuel-Miranda took to the stage as founding father Alexandar Hamilton, telling his story through songs and raps along with a superstar cast.
A filmed version of the entire Tony Award-winning play can be found on Disney+, offering viewers a glimpse at the historic Broadway production. Two features follow the film: Hamilton: History Has Its Eyes On You, a discussion with Miranda and other cast and crew, as well as The Undefeated Presents: Hamilton In-Depth, a special that includes interviews with the cast.
‘America The Beautiful’
From Beyonce’s 2020 film Black Is King to the Disney Parks Sunrise Series, Disney+ is full of visual albums among its many shows and films. In 2021, National Geographic teamed up with Disneynature producers to debut another one, this time centered around America and all its beauty.
America The Beautiful is a six-part series that brings to life parts of the country you don’t always see, including its gorgeous landscapes, thriving nature, and wildlife in their natural habitats. The visual album is set to premiere on July 4th.
‘Captain America: The First Avenger’
You can always find a Marvel movie to watch for any occasion, and in this case, it’s Captain America: The First Avenger. The film follows Chris Evans as Steve Rogers, an underdog who wishes to help his disintegrating country =and gets the unique opportunity to join forces with a group of superheroes.
The Marvel marathon can continue as the fireworks erupt outside with its sequels Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War,as well as several other films in The Avengersseries.
‘America’s Heart And Soul’
When documentarian Louis Schwartzberg took his camera on a road trip across the United States, it turned into a film all about the country’s differences in landscape and people, while showcasing the similar aspirations of every citizen.
America’s Heart and Soul premiered in 2004 from Walt Disney Pictures and stars Schwartzberg as he travels the country, documenting the lives of American citizens and what makes each place he visits beautiful.
‘Night At The Museum’
While Night at the Museum is a comedy about a museum security guard who ends up in some unexpected antics at his new job, the film also follows many historical figures and scenes as the exhibits come to life.
With a megastar cast including Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Rami Malek and Owen Wilson, the film is based on the Museum of Natural History, while its sequel, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, was partly filmed at the real-life Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.
‘Miracle’
For the sports enthusiasts, Miracle tells the true story of a group of careless college students who are turned into an Olympic hockey team, representing the USA and acting as a glimmer of hope during the Cold War.
The 2004 film stars Kurt Russell as college coach Herb Brooks who is given the task of rounding up recruits for his Olympic hockey team, using his unique coaching style to prepare them to win the gold.
‘The Liberty Story’
In 1957, The Magical World of Disney premiered a film that combined live-action with animation to tell the history of America’s fight for freedom during the Boston Tea Party and the Battle of Concord.
The Liberty Story follows Johnny Tremain and Amos The Mouse in their race for freedom, as narrated by Walt Disney, who also introduces audiences to Liberty Street, the Disneyland expansion that later became Liberty Square.
‘National Treasure’
The 2004 film National Treasure follows Nicolas Cage’s character Ben Gates on his life-long search for treasure that dates back to the creation of the United States that involves stealing the Declaration of Independence.
But when Gates is betrayed by his fellow treasure hunter, it becomes a race against time to find the document and snag the treasure before the wrong person does.
‘America’s National Parks’
National Geographic aired an eight-episode series in 2015 that featured the 100th birthday celebration of The National Park Service and served up breathtaking visuals of eight of America’s national parks.
America’s National Parks showcases the landscapes and animals of well-known places throughout America like Yellowstone, Yosemite, the Grand Canyon and the Everglades, as narrated by voice actor C.T. Taylor.
‘Diary Of A Future President’
In her breakout role, young actress Tess Romero stars in this Disney+ Original as Elena Cañero-Reed, a middle schooler who sees a much brighter future than book reports and homework.
Whiel she hopes of someday being the President of the United States, Tess must first conquer middle school, documenting the good and the bad of her day-to-day life in her diary in comedy series Diary of a Future President.