Nicolas Cagefans have been teased by the actor’s possible return to one of his beloved franchises for many years now, and it seems that they may have to wait a bit longer as the actor recently shared a disappointing, if slightly optimistic, view on the chancesofNational Treasure 3ever happening.
Cage is currently starring inThe Surfer, another wild and unpredictable movie that has landed a strong set of reviews for the actor. While promoting the film, Cage spoke toMovieWeb’s George Edelman, and as well as discussing his current movie, he gave a short response to the chances for fans finally getting to see Benjamin Franklin Gates heading out in search of another “national treasure” in the near future. Cage said:
“Don’t know. I do know that there’s been more chatter about it than normal.”
10 Small Historical Details in ‘National Treasure’ That Are Surprisingly Accurate
While much of the movie is fiction, National Treasure does contain accurate details that would make history buffs nod with approval.
When it comes toNational Treasure 3, fans of the adventure franchise will take any glimmer of hope they can get. One thing that could cause problems for the sequel, beyond pleasing Disney with a script, could be Cage’s long list of projects that he already has in the works. Regardless, at the moment, it looks likeNational Treasure 3is still not dead and buried just yet.
What Has Delayed ‘National Treasure 3’ for 2 Decades?
Cage first starred inNational Treasurein 2004, playing Benjamin Franklin Gates, a historian, cryptographer, and treasure hunter, who teams up a small collective to hunt down a long-lost Freemason treasure. While the film had a hefty $100 million budget, and gained some unfavorable reviews – Roger Ebert likened the film to a Monty Python movie – it struck gold at the box office with a $347 million haul. A sequel,National Treasure: Book of Secrets, followed in 2007, delivering another globe-trotting adventure for Cage’s Gates, worse reviews, but a bigger gross of $457 million.
At the time, it seemed like a third movie was guaranteed, but it never materialized. Despite franchise director Jon Turteltaub revealing that there would be moreNational Treasuremovies in 2008, and Disney registering several domain names, the third movie lay dormant for a decade, and by 2018, it was reported that a script had been submitted to Disney, but they were not satisfied enough to greenlight it.
Fans believed things were finally moving forward in 2020, when it was announced thatNational Treasure 3was confirmed to be in the works with a Chris Bremner script, Jerry Bruckheimer returning to produce, and the original cast returning. However, somewhere along the line, plans changed again. The movie was out, and instead aDisney+ TV show,National Treasure: Edge of History, was released, with Lisette Olivera taking on the lead role of Jess Valenzuela. The show was canceled after just one season, with fans once again calling for Cage to return for a third movie.
Will fans finally get the belated sequel they have been craving almost two decades? It is hard to say, but it seems that Cage knows there are rumblings, and that is enough to keep hope alive a little longer.
National Treasure
