It has been a very long time since Nicolas Cage told us he was going to steal the Declaration of Independence, and all of the memes can only keep us afloat for so long. We’ve been promised many times over the years that there’s a National Treasure 3 release date on the horizon, but still, the wait goes on.
The National Treasure franchise has already given us two of the best adventure movies of the 21st century, and we can’t wait for more campy action, with Cage’s beautiful anarchy at the heart of it all. His globe-trotting treasure hunter has plenty of historical artifacts to steal in new movies to come, and it all starts here. Let’s look at what we know so far.
National Treasure 3 release date speculation
We think National Treasure 3 will finally arrive in 2025, as we’ve been told by many of the most important people involved that the movie is very close to happening.
Jerry Bruckheimer, who produced the first two movies, told ComicBook.com in August 2022 that the script for National Treasure 3 is completed and in the hands of Nicolas Cage himself. These movies need Cage in order to happen, so it’s very much down to the star.
Director Jon Turteltaub is also keen to get going, saying in February 2023 that “there is a very good possibility of a National Treasure 3 being very close.”
Cage told GQ in 2022 that his career downturn got in the way of National Treasure 3. “The phone stopped ringing. It was like: ‘What do you mean we’re not doing National Treasure 3? It’s been 14 years. Why not?’ Well, Sorcerer’s Apprentice didn’t work, and Ghost Rider didn’t really sell tickets. And Drive Angry, that just came and went.”
But the star, of course, is now back in the spotlight, having made some of the best movies of his career with the likes of Pig, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, and the ultra-weird 2023 gem Dream Scenario. We’re still scarred by some of the intense nightmare sequences in that last one.
The stage is set for him to return to his most beloved franchise, and with a version of the script ready to go, we think there’s a good chance the movie will go in front of cameras before the end of 2024 if they can find a gap in Cage’s busy calendar. By the summer of 2025, we could be back with Ben Gates and diving into his world of adventure.
National Treasure 3 cast speculation
There’s no National Treasure 3 without Nicolas Cage, so the movie will only happen if he returns to play Benjamin Franklin Gates.
Justin Bartha is very much in the mix to return as Ben’s closest friend, Riley Poole. He even popped up in the short-lived Disney Plus show National Treasure: Edge of History. Bartha told Variety in 2022 that he feels a third movie is a “no-brainer” if they can get the team back together.
Diane Kruger gave a “never say never” answer when she was asked about a third movie in January 2022, so we think she’ll return as Ben’s partner Dr Abigail Chase. That’s the central trio in place and ready to anchor us in a nostalgic new adventure.
One recurring cast member we don’t expect to see again is Harvey Keitel as Agent Sadusky. He was killed off in the aforementioned TV series, with it later being revealed that he was murdered by the series’ main villain, Agent Hendricks. Keitel has been a fixture throughout the franchise, so it will be a shame not to have him back.
Here’s the expected National Treasure 3 cast list:
- Nicolas Cage as Ben Gates
- Justin Bartha as Riley Poole
- Diane Kruger as Dr Abigail Chase
What will National Treasure 3 be about?
National Treasure 3 should finally give fans an answer to the mystery of what was on page 47 of the Book of Secrets.
As a result of his access to that secret diary, Ben knows a lot of privileged information about the future of America. At the end of the second movie, he explained to the president that the information on page 47 was “life-altering.” That’s a mouth-watering cliffhanger to leave audiences waiting on for 16 years and counting.
We don’t expect to see Bruce Greenwood back as the president (he won’t still be in office more than a decade later), but we could learn the impact of the information Ben gave him about page 47. Bartha’s character dropped a reference to that number into the new TV series, so we know it’s very much still in the minds of the creative team.
Of course, beyond that, we expect a new conspiracy for Ben and his friends to unravel, whether they have help from high-level politicians this time or not.
Is there a trailer for National Treasure 3?
We won’t see a National Treasure 3 trailer until the movie is in the can, so we’d say late 2024 at the absolute earliest.
You shouldn’t go home empty-handed, though, so it’s worth heading back into the past and refreshing your memory about the mystery of the Book of Secrets. Get thinking about what could be on page 47!
How to watch National Treasure 3
National Treasure 3 will be a cinema exclusive when it finally gets made; then, it will eventually end up on Disney Plus in the future.
You can already watch both of the Cage-starring National Treasure movies on Disney Plus, as well as all ten episodes of the TV series Edge of History. We’ve recently seen blockbusters arrive on Disney’s streaming platform within just two or three months of their streaming run, so National Treasure 3 could be new on Disney Plus before the end of 2025.
That’s all we know about National Treasure 3 for now, but we’ll be updating this guide as soon as our treasure hunters find some new information on the movie.
But if you can’t get enough of National Treasure’s leading man, find out why Nicolas Cage had a horrendous time making one of his best movies and learn whether he might return to play Dracula for the Renfield season 2 release date. Finally, for the return of another famed adventurer, read our Indiana Jones 5 review.