‘National Treasure 3’ Is Officially in the Works: Director Jon Turteltaub Confirms
Get ready for another treasure hunt as a third National Treasure movie is finally in the works, according to director Jon Turteltaub.
Speaking at a live taping of the National Treasure Hunt podcast in Philadelphia, Turteltaub revealed the exciting news to a packed audience.
“It’s happening. You’re the first people I’ve said this out loud to,” Turteltaub began, before adding that he had not shared the news with anyone previously.
“Now, it’s ‘Hollywood real,’ meaning things could happen. Nic [Cage] 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,” he quipped.
Turteltaub also confirmed that a script for the movie has been finalized, stating, “We finally have a script that I like.”
He added that Disney had given the green light for the project, with the company saying, “OK, this sounds like a movie we can make.”
A Brief History of the National Treasure Franchise
The National Treasure franchise began with the release of the first film in 2004, starring Nicolas Cage as historian Ben Gates.
The movie followed Gates as he stole the Declaration of Independence to find a map to an ancient, rumored treasure before anyone else could get to it.
The film also starred Harvey Keitel, Jon Voight, Diane Kruger, Sean Bean, Justin Bartha, and Christopher Plummer, and went on to gross $347 million at the global box office.
The success of the first film led to a sequel, National Treasure: The Book of Secrets, which was released in 2007 and earned $459 million worldwide.
The sequel added Helen Mirren, Ed Harris, Bruce Greenwood, and Ty Burrell to the cast.
The Future of the National Treasure Franchise
Although the third film is officially in the works, no casting announcements have been made yet.
Turteltaub has expressed his enthusiasm for the project, stating that he is excited to bring the story to life.
With a finalized script and Disney’s support, fans can expect to see the next installment of the National Treasure franchise in the near future.
