National Treasure 3 Is Finally Moving Forward With Nicolas Cage in Talks

National Treasure 3 is moving forward at Disney, with a script in development and Nicolas Cage among the original stars in talks to return. Director Jon Turteltaub disclosed the progress during a live recording of the National Treasure Hunt podcast in Philadelphia, giving the long-delayed sequel its clearest public sign of life in years.

Turteltaub told the audience that the project was happening and described Disney as supportive of the script. Reports from the event said discussions are under way with Cage and other returning cast members. That distinction matters: talks are not the same as finalized contracts, and the studio has not yet announced a release date, production start or complete cast.

The news arrived during Philadelphia’s first National Treasure weekend, an especially fitting venue for a franchise built around American history, codes and famous landmarks. The original 2004 film sent Cage’s Benjamin Franklin Gates on a hunt involving the Declaration of Independence, turning museums, archives and civic monuments into the machinery of a mainstream adventure.

The 2007 sequel, National Treasure: Book of Secrets, expanded the story and left fans with an unresolved reference to page 47 of the president’s secret book. That cliffhanger became a durable piece of franchise mythology. A third movie now has the opportunity to address it, although no verified plot details have been announced.

The two theatrical films together earned more than $800 million worldwide, giving Disney a substantial commercial foundation for another installment. Their continued circulation on streaming and home entertainment has also kept the characters visible. The challenge is to satisfy longtime viewers while introducing the premise to audiences who were not old enough to see either movie in theaters.

Development has started and stopped repeatedly. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer and other members of the creative team have discussed scripts and a potential return for years, while Cage has at times sounded doubtful about revisiting the series. That history explains why Turteltaub’s public statement generated attention, but it also counsels patience until Disney formally sets production.

The franchise briefly continued through the Disney+ series National Treasure: Edge of History, which followed a younger group of treasure hunters and treated the film mythology as an existing world. The series did not replace Benjamin Gates for many fans, yet it demonstrated that Disney still viewed the concept as adaptable beyond the two original movies.

Cage’s participation would be central. Benjamin Gates combines the actor’s intensity with the approachable mechanics of a family adventure, making the role distinct from many of his darker or more eccentric performances. Turteltaub made clear at the Philadelphia event that the filmmakers are pursuing Cage, but a completed agreement remains one of the major steps to watch.

A successful third film must also solve a creative problem created by the long gap. Technology has transformed research, security and conspiracy storytelling since 2007. The new script will need to preserve the tactile pleasure of maps, hidden rooms and historical documents while making its puzzles feel credible to a contemporary audience.

The safest reading of the announcement is that National Treasure 3 has advanced beyond casual discussion but has not reached the finish line. A Disney-backed script and active cast conversations are meaningful progress. They do not yet guarantee cameras will roll, particularly on a large production that requires schedules, budgets, locations and multiple returning performers to align.

For now, the most important development is that the original director has publicly committed to the project in front of the franchise’s most dedicated audience. If Disney confirms the cast and a production timetable, the sequel could turn one of the studio’s longest-running fan requests into a major theatrical event. Until then, the treasure hunt has officially resumed—even if its destination is not yet fixed.

The next reliable milestones will be formal casting, a director agreement, a production date and a release window. Until those arrive, fans can welcome the progress without treating every rumor as settled. After nearly two decades, careful optimism is the most accurate response.