What Artifact This Time? Third National Treasure Film On Its Way According to Director

After hearing about a third installment for literal years, it seems a National Treasure 3 might be on its way, at long last.

What's Happening:

• A podcast celebrating the fandom of the Disney franchise, National Treasure, recently had a very special guest who revealed there is more in store for the series.
• The podcast, National Treasure Hunt, held a recording with director Jon Turteltaub, who helmed both National Treasure and its sequel, National Treasure: Book of Secrets.
• During the episode, Turteltaub shared that a third National Treasure film is happening, with a script that has been written that has received the approval of himself, producer Jerry Bruckheimer, and Disney.
• Additionally, Nicolas Cage is set to return in the role of Ben Gates.
• During the podcast, Turteltaub said, "I was thinking about mentioning this tonight, I'll say it tonight. It's happening. You're the first people I have said this out loud to."
• He added, "It's finally real. Now, it's 'Hollywood Real,' meaning things can happen. Nic gets hit by a bus, there's no National Treasure. If I get hit by a bus, there's probably a National Treasure."
• Originally released in 2004, National Treasure is an adventure film starring Nicolas Cage, a historian and treasure hunter obsessed with a legendary treasure supposedly hidden by the founding fathers of the United States. The movie follows his character, Ben Gates, as he and his team decipher codes, uncover secrets, and race against time through a series of puzzles hidden throughout American history.
• Hear Turteltaub share the news of another sequel in the moment below.

• For casual moviegoers, it may have felt like there was already news of a National Treasure 3.
• Devotees may recall that talks of a National Treasure 3 being in the works date back to 2020, and some even earlier back to 2014, and even 2010.
• The talks in 2020 were arguably more serious than those earlier, going off and on again for half-a-decade before getting another update in 2025, when Disney Legend Jerry Bruckheimer said they were getting closer to making it happen. At the time, Bruckheimer was also discussing a similar-fated sixth entry of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.
• However, there was one National Treasure project that did see the light of day, 2022's spin-off Disney+ series, National Treasure: Edge of History, starring Catherine Zeta-Jones.