Nicolas Cage Set to Return for National Treasure 3

A third National Treasure movie is finally moving forward, according to director Jon Turteltaub.

Turteltaub confirmed the news during a live event for the National Treasure Hunt podcast in Philadelphia. He said a screenplay has already been written and approved by both him and Disney. Nicolas Cage is expected to return as treasure hunter Benjamin Gates, along with other members of the original cast.

“It’s finally real,” Turteltaub said, while warning that the project is still subject to the usual Hollywood uncertainties.

The franchise began with 2004’s National Treasure, starring Cage, Diane Kruger and Justin Bartha. The film earned more than $347 million worldwide. Its 2007 sequel, National Treasure: Book of Secrets, earned about $459 million.

The sequel ended with a major mystery involving Page 47 of the Book of Secrets, a classified collection of presidential information. Ben Gates was told to examine the page and later described its contents as “life-altering,” but the film never revealed what he saw.

A third movie has been discussed for nearly two decades. Disney instead developed the National Treasure: Edge of History series for Disney+, but the show was canceled after one season in 2023.

If National Treasure 3 moves ahead as planned, it could finally give fans an answer about Page 47 and bring Benjamin Gates back to the big screen.