National Treasure fans, it’s your moment. Or, hopefully, the first of many moments as more exciting news about the third installment in the franchise finally becomes public. And director Jon Turteltaub isn’t holding anything back, opening up as much as he can (without getting in trouble with the Mouse, obviously) and spilling a few key details on what fans can expect after the drought between films and the ending of the short-lived television series.
So what, exactly, can we look forward to? Firstly, the fact that the third installment is happening at all. Speaking with the National Treasure Hunt podcast, Turteltaub was excited to break the news, saying, “It’s happening. You’re the first people I have said this out loud to.” And while the fact that the movie is being made at all is definitely exciting, what’s even more exciting is that Nicolas Cage is definitely coming back to reprise his role—and Turteltaub is hopeful that the rest of the former cast members will sign on for the project, much like the original cast of The Mummy has for the upcoming fourth film.
Nicolas Cage is officially returning for NATIONAL TREASURE 3.
Director Jon Turteltaub says the sequel now has a script that both he and Disney are happy with.
“It’s finally real.”
He also says the goal is to bring back as much of the original cast as possible:
“To whatever… pic.twitter.com/Ov3mnITP8N
So with a finished script that’s been Disney-approved and the return of the film’s biggest star, it seems that the sky is the limit for this long-awaited threequel, with the hope that Diane Kruger, who played Abigail Chase, and Justin Bartha, who played Riley Poole, will also return to reprise their roles. Speaking on the intricacies of bringing the film to life, the director said, “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.”
The internet is already popping off at the news, and fans are thrilled. “Honestly, National Treasure alongside the Brendan Fraser Mummy movies are the more modern takes on classic Indiana Jones. And now we’re getting a new Mummy and new National Treasure movies within the next year or so. Ace,” said one. Another added, “F*ck yeah. We need some classic early 2000s film vibes.” And they’re not wrong; there’s nothing that a good, old-fashioned nostalgia fest can’t cure, especially when it’s bringing our faves back to once again steal something really important from the government.
For those who don’t remember, the original National Treasure, released in 2004, centered on Ben Gates, a historian on a lifelong search for a treasure that predates the United States. Betrayed by his friend when they discover that the secret to finding the treasure lies in the Declaration of Independence, a race begins to get to the document and the treasure first. It’s wacky, it’s campy, and it’s long deserved a third movie.
