‘National Treasure 3’ Is ‘Happening,’ Says Franchise Director

“National Treasure” director Jon Turteltaub says a third film is happening.

“I have not said anything before this, but you deserve to have the scoop,” Turteltaub said at a live taping of the “National Treasure Hunt” podcast (via The Philadelphia Inquirer). He added that the audience was “the first people I have said this out loud to.”

“It’s happening,” he said of “National Treasure 3.” “I have not said anything before this, but you deserve to have the scoop. It’s finally real. Now, it’s ‘Hollywood real,’ meaning things could happen. Nic 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.”

Reps for Disney and Nicolas Cage did not immediately respond to Variety’s request for comment

Turteltaub said that a script is already in the works, adding that “to whatever extent we can, everyone’s back.”

The first “National Treasure” was released in 2004 and grossed $347 million worldwide by the end of its box office run. The adventure thriller starred Cage and Diane Kruger as two historians who become tangled in a plot to steal the Declaration of Independence, which is actually a map to a secret treasure buried by the Freemasons. Other cast members include Justin Bartha, Sean Bean, Jon Voight and Harvey Keitel.

A sequel, “National Treasure: The Book of Secrets,” was released in 2007 and exploded to $459 million worldwide. Disney+ also released a “National Treasure” TV series, “Edge of History,” which was released on the streamer in 2022. However, the show was short-lived, only running for one season.