National Treasure 3 is ‘finally real’ with Nicolas Cage returning, original director reveals

Will we finally find out the contents of Page 47?

By Wesley Stenzel, Wesley Stenzel is a news writer at Entertainment Weekly. He began writing for EW in 2022.

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August 22, 2026 1:00 p.m. ET, 1 Comment

• National Treasure filmmaker Jon Turteltaub said that a third movie is “finally real.” The director revealed that National Treasure 3 will reunite the original cast, including Nicolas Cage. He also confirmed that a script has been approved by Disney and himself.

Benjamin Gates is back on the hunt.

National Treasure director Jon Turteltaub confirmed that a third movie in the adventure franchise is finally in the works. “It’s happening,” he told the National Treasure Hunt podcast at a live event in Philadelphia on Friday (per The Philadelphia Inquirer). 

“I have not said anything before this, but you deserve to have the scoop,” the filmmaker said, noting that the audience was “the first people I have said this out loud to” in public.

Turteltaub confirmed that Nicolas Cage, who starred as treasure hunter Ben Gates in the first two films, is expected to return in National Treasure 3. However, he also noted that obstacles could still potentially prevent the movie from moving forward.

“It’s finally real. Now, it’s Hollywood real, meaning things could happen,” he said. “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.”

Turteltaub told the crowd that a screenplay approved by him and Disney has already been written, and he noted that “to whatever extent we can, everyone’s back.”

Entertainment Weekly has reached out to representatives for Disney and Cage for comment.

National Treasure starred Cage, Diane Kruger, and Justin Bartha as a treasure-hunting trio who become reluctantly involved with a plot to steal the Declaration of Independence in order to find a vast fortune hidden by the Freemasons. Jon Voight, Harvey Keitel, and Sean Bean rounded out the supporting cast.

Continue/Read Original Article: Nicolas Cage returning for ‘National Treasure 3,’ director says