With Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, and other beloved cast members returning for a fourth in The Mummy franchise, it felt like it was only a matter of time before the stars aligned to get another chapter of Jon Turteltaub’s National Treasure film series up and running. While speaking with the National Treasure Hunt podcast at a live event in Philadelphia on Friday, Turteltaub said Nicolas Cage’s intrepid adventurer, Benjamin Gates, is back! Grab your torches and get ready to break a new pair of Timberlands, because National Treasure 3 is officially happening!
A Scoop Worth Stealing
“I have not said anything before this, but you deserve to have the scoop,” the filmmaker said, treating the crowd to an exclusive as “the first people I have said this out loud to” in public.
While listening to Turteltaub with bated breath, the audience rejoiced as the director announced that Nicolas Cage is returning as Benjamin Gates in National Treasure 3. He noted that outside forces could always throw a wrench into the works, but the crowd roared nonetheless.
“It’s Finally Real”
“It’s finally real. Now, it’s Hollywood real, meaning things could happen,” he said. “Nic gets hit by a bus, there’s no National Treasure 3. If I get hit by a bus, there’s probably a National Treasure 3. Welcome to Hollywood.”
Turteltaub went on to say that he and Disney have already approved the script, noting that “to whatever extent we can, everyone’s back.”
Decoding the Franchise’s History
In National Treasure, Nicolas Cage leads a treasure-hunting trio alongside Diane Kruger and Justin Bartha, who pull off the ultimate heist – stealing the Declaration of Independence – to uncover a massive fortune hidden by the Freemasons. Jon Voight, Harvey Keitel, and Sean Bean back them up in a stacked supporting cast.
The original film grossed over $347 million on a reported budget of $100 million. Despite mixed reviews from critics, National Treasure grew in popularity with fans after hitting the home market. In 2007, National Treasure: Book of Secrets hit theaters, with the original cast returning (minus Sean Bean) alongside Helen Mirren, Ed Harris, and Bruce Greenwood. The sequel grossed $459 million worldwide on a reported $130 million budget, making it an overwhelming success.
Unearthing a Third Chapter After False Starts
It’s been almost two decades since the last National Treasure movie. After several false starts to get another one in the pipeline, Disney announced National Treasure: Edge of History, a Disney+ series set in the same universe as the movies, focusing on a new cast of characters. The response to Edge of History was lukewarm at best, and the show was canceled after one season.
Are you excited to hear we’re finally getting a new National Treasure movie? Will everyone from the original cast return for another wild adventure? We hope so!
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