You couldn’t think of a more perfect actor to steal the Declaration of Independence in National Treasure than Nicolas Cage. In 2004, Cage played Benjamin Gates, an adventurer who stole one of the nation’s most prized documents to examine a secret treasure map on the back of it. The Indiana Jones-inspired National Treasure was the perfect balance of history and adventure. The success of the first film led to a sequel in 2007, National Treasure: Book of Secrets.
In the years since Book of Secrets, there have been numerous rumors about National Treasure 3. Both films combined to gross over $800 million, so a third installment makes sense. However, despite the high demand, National Treasure 3 can’t quite get off the ground. What is the status of the third film? Here is everything you need to know about National Treasure 3.
Is National Treasure 3 in development?
After spending a decade in development hell, National Treasure 3 was announced in 2020. Variety reported Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer were moving forward with a third film. Chris Bremner (Bad Boys: Ride or Die) was tapped to pen the script. Jon Turteltaub, who directed the first two films, was not confirmed to direct National Treasure 3.
However, Cormac Wibberley and Marianne Wibberley, the duo who penned both National Treasure films, told EW in September 2022 that Turteltaub was helping to develop the third film. As of April 2024, the script is still being worked on.
Does National Treasure 3 have a release date?
No. National Treasure 3 is not on Disney’s release calendar.
Who is in the National Treasure 3 cast?
While the 2020 announcement did not discuss casting details, Cage is expected to return as Benjamin Gates. The actors who starred in both National Treasure films include:
- Nicolas Cage as Benjamin Gates
- Justin Bartha as Riley Poole
- Diane Kruger as Dr. Abigail Chase
- Jon Voight as Patrick Gates
- Armando Riesco as FBI Special Agent Hendricks
- Harvey Keitel as FBI Special Agent Peter Sadusky
Bartha, Riesco, and Keitel reprised their roles from the films for the Disney+ series National Treasure: Edge of History.
How many National Treasure films are there?
There are two National Treasure movies, both directed by Turteltaub. National Treasure was released on November 19, 2004. In National Treasure. Gates and his team attempted to steal the Declaration of Independence to read an invisible map on the back of the document. The film was a hit, grossing over $347 million worldwide.
The sequel, National Treasure: Book of Secrets, arrived in theaters on December 21, 2007. The plot centered around Gates’ quest to find a missing page in John Wilkes Booth’s diary that would prove the innocence of his late ancestor in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Against a $130 million budget, the film grossed over $459 million at the box office.
Is there a National Treasure TV series?
Yes. National Treasure: Edge of History premiered on Disney+ on December 14, 2022. Cormac and Marianne Wibberley developed the 10-episode series for Disney+. National Treasure: Edge of History stars Lisette Olivera as Jess Valenzuela, a young woman who, after learning about her late father’s history as a treasure protector, sets out to find a Pan-American treasure.
National Treasure: Edge of History’s ensemble includes Zuri Reed, Antonio Cipriano, Jordan Rodrigues, Jake Austin Walker, Lyndon Smith, and Catherine Zeta-Jones. On April 21, 2023, Disney canceled National Treasure: Edge of History after one season.
Nicolas Cage gives disappointing updates on National Treasure 3
Unfortunately for fans, Cage shared two disappointing updates in the last few years about the status of National Treasure 3. In an April 2022 Reddit Ask Me Anything (AMA), Cage received a question about whether there would be another National Treasure. Cage wrote, “No, the priority was to turn it into a TV show, so I would say probably not.”
In March 2024, Cage received another question about the third film, and once again, the Oscar winner does not believe it will happen. “Here we go! See, you’re the one that brings these things up, and they go out and they eclipse everything else,” Cage told Screen Rant. “No, there is no National Treasure 3. If you want to find treasure, don’t look at Disney, okay? It’s not there.” Disney did not comment on Cage’s response.
Jerry Bruckheimer still wants to make National Treasure 3
Despite Cage’s pessimism, Bruckheimer remains optimistic that there will be a National Treasure 3. In March 2024, Bruckheimer told MovieWeb that he is still working on the third film and hopes Cage will return if it comes to fruition. “Well, we hope there’s a National Treasure 3,” Bruckheimer said.
“We’ve been working on it for quite a while. We have a brilliant writer working on it right now, so hopefully, if we get a script in a timely fashion, we’ll send it to Nic [Cage] and, if he likes it, we’ll make another one. We certainly would like to.”
