National Treasure 3 Is Finally Happening — And Fans May Finally Get the Adventure They’ve Been Waiting For

After nearly two decades of uncertainty, false starts, changing plans, and years of wondering whether Benjamin Franklin Gates would ever return, fans of the National Treasure franchise finally have a reason to celebrate.

Director Jon Turteltaub has confirmed that National Treasure 3 is happening — or, in his words, it is “finally real.” The announcement came during a live recording of the National Treasure Hunt podcast in Philadelphia on August 21, where Turteltaub revealed that a new script exists and that Disney has responded positively to it.

For longtime fans, the announcement is more than another Hollywood sequel rumor. The first two National Treasure movies became a beloved part of 2000s adventure cinema, combining American history, secret societies, hidden messages, ancient mysteries, puzzles, humor, and high-stakes action. Now, almost 20 years after National Treasure: Book of Secrets, the treasure hunt may finally continue.

The Announcement Fans Had Almost Given Up On

The road to National Treasure 3 has been unusually long.

The original National Treasure arrived in 2004, starring Nicolas Cage as historian and treasure hunter Benjamin Franklin Gates. The movie followed Gates as he uncovered a secret hidden within American history and became convinced that the Declaration of Independence contained a clue leading to an enormous lost treasure.

The movie became a major commercial success, earning approximately $347 million worldwide.

Three years later, National Treasure: Book of Secrets continued Ben Gates’ story. The sequel introduced another historical mystery involving Abraham Lincoln, a missing page from John Wilkes Booth’s diary, and a conspiracy that threatened Gates’ family’s reputation.

The second film performed even better financially, bringing in approximately $459 million worldwide.

That success naturally created expectations for a third installment.

But the sequel never arrived.

For years, fans heard that a script was being developed. Then they heard the project was delayed. Then came more speculation, more interviews, and more uncertainty.

At one point, even Nicolas Cage appeared to shut the door on the idea.

In 2024, Cage reportedly said there was no National Treasure 3, making the latest announcement particularly surprising.

Now the situation has changed dramatically.

Jon Turteltaub Says “It’s Happening”

Turteltaub, who directed both original movies, made the announcement directly to fans during the Philadelphia event.

He explained that the audience was among the first people to hear the news publicly and described the project as “finally real.”

But the director also offered a very Hollywood-style warning.

He joked that the movie was “Hollywood real,” meaning that even when a project is moving forward, unexpected circumstances can still change everything.

That distinction is important.

The announcement does not mean the movie is already filming, and there is currently no confirmed release date. The project is still in development, which means additional decisions about financing, scheduling, casting, production, and distribution still have to be completed.

Nevertheless, reaching the stage of having a script that the director likes and Disney believes could become a movie represents a significant step forward.

For a project that has spent years trapped in development, that is major news.

What About Nicolas Cage?

This is perhaps the biggest question surrounding the entire announcement.

Benjamin Gates is inseparable from Nicolas Cage in the minds of most fans. His eccentric energy, intensity, humor, and unpredictable screen presence helped define the character.

Recent reports indicate that Cage is expected to return, although the precise status of his involvement should be treated carefully until Disney and Cage officially confirm the details. Turteltaub has spoken optimistically about bringing back the original cast, saying that, to whatever extent possible, “everyone’s back.”

That leaves plenty of room for speculation.

Could Diane Kruger return as Abigail Chase?

Could Justin Bartha return as Riley Poole?

Could Jon Voight return as Patrick Gates?

Could Harvey Keitel once again appear as Peter Sadusky?

The possibility of seeing the original team reunited is one of the most exciting aspects of the announcement.

For fans who grew up watching Ben and Riley race through libraries, museums, monuments, archives, and historic landmarks, seeing those characters together again could provide the nostalgia that makes a third film feel like a genuine continuation rather than simply another reboot.

The Mystery of Page 47

One of the biggest unanswered questions from Book of Secrets is the famous Page 47.

At the end of the second film, Ben discovers a mysterious page containing information that appears to be extremely important. The movie deliberately refuses to reveal exactly what the page says.

That decision has fueled fan theories for years.

What was on Page 47?

Was it another secret hidden in American history?

Did it point toward an even larger treasure?

Was it connected to a historical conspiracy?

Or was it something completely unexpected?

A third film has the opportunity to finally answer the question.

That alone could give National Treasure 3 an enormous narrative advantage. Instead of pretending the previous movies never happened, the filmmakers could build directly upon the mystery that audiences have been discussing since 2007.

The Franchise Has Changed Since 2007

There is another challenge facing the filmmakers: the world is very different from the one in which the original movies were made.

In 2004, the internet was already important, but smartphones and social media had not transformed everyday life the way they have today.

Modern treasure hunting would look very different.

Historical research can now involve instant access to enormous databases, digital archives, satellite imagery, artificial intelligence, social media, and online communities.

That could create exciting possibilities for the story.

At the same time, the filmmakers have to preserve what made the original movies special.

The heart of National Treasure was never simply explosions or computer effects.

It was the thrill of discovering that something ordinary might contain a secret.

A painting could hide a clue.

A historical document could contain a code.

A monument could conceal a passage.

A seemingly insignificant symbol could unlock an enormous mystery.

That sense of discovery is what the third movie will need to capture.

Disney Has Already Tested Another Direction

The franchise did receive another chance on television.

Disney+ launched National Treasure: Edge of History in 2022, introducing a younger cast and a new adventure connected to the franchise. The series lasted for one season before being canceled.

While the television series did not become the long-running continuation some fans hoped for, it demonstrated that Disney still saw value in the National Treasure name.

The return of the original movie characters, however, could represent something very different.

Rather than asking audiences to start over with an entirely new group of treasure hunters, National Treasure 3 can build on almost two decades of history.

Why Fans Are So Excited

Part of the excitement comes from nostalgia.

Many people who watched the first National Treasure as children or teenagers are now adults. They remember the excitement of seeing Ben Gates solve clues and chase mysteries across historic locations.

A third movie gives those viewers an opportunity to return to that world.

But nostalgia alone will not be enough.

The new movie will need a compelling mystery.

It will need memorable characters.

It will need puzzles that audiences can try to solve alongside the heroes.

Most importantly, it will need the feeling that history itself is hiding something.

That is the secret ingredient of the franchise.

There Is Still a Long Road Ahead

Although the announcement is exciting, fans should not assume that the movie is arriving immediately.

There is currently no confirmed release date, and production details remain limited. Reports indicate that the script has reached a stage that Turteltaub and Disney are comfortable with, but the film still has to move through the normal Hollywood production process.

That means casting agreements, financing, scheduling, production planning, filming, editing, visual effects, marketing, and distribution all remain ahead.

So the most accurate way to describe the situation is this:

National Treasure 3 is officially moving forward, but it is not yet a finished movie.

And after all these years, even that distinction is enough to make fans excited.

A New Treasure Hunt Is Waiting

The greatest strength of National Treasure has always been its ability to make history feel like an adventure.

The films encouraged audiences to look at famous documents, monuments, paintings, buildings, and historical figures differently.

Now, after years of waiting, the filmmakers have the opportunity to create another mystery for a new generation while giving longtime fans the continuation they have wanted since 2007.

Whether the story finally explains Page 47, introduces an entirely new historical mystery, or combines both ideas remains unknown.

What is known is that Jon Turteltaub has finally broken the silence.

The director who guided audiences through the first two adventures says the third movie is happening.

And for fans who have spent nearly 20 years asking one simple question — “When are we getting National Treasure 3?” — the answer has finally arrived.

There is no release date yet. There is no complete production schedule yet. And some casting details still need official confirmation.

But there is a script.

There is Disney’s interest.

There is the original director.

And there is the possibility of Nicolas Cage returning as Benjamin Gates.

After nearly two decades of waiting, the treasure hunt may finally be ready to begin again.

And this time, fans will be watching closely for every clue.