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.