Director Jon Turteltaub has confirmed that National Treasure 3 is "finally real" and progressing, almost two decades after Nicolas Cage last appeared as treasure hunter Benjamin Gates on screen. Turteltaub, who directed the previous two films, made the announcement during a podcast recording in Philadelphia on Friday, stating that a script he liked has been produced and Disney has responded positively.
Turteltaub expressed his hope to bring back the original cast "to whatever extent we can," including Nicolas Cage. The first National Treasure film, released in 2004, starred Cage, Diane Kruger, and Justin Bartha. Its sequel, National Treasure: Book of Secrets, followed in December 2007.
The franchise also saw a brief return in 2022 with the Disney+ series National Treasure: Edge of History, which was cancelled after one season in April 2023.