"National Treasure 3" Is Still Happening

It’s been nearly two decades since audiences last followed Benjamin Franklin Gates' adventures on the big screen.

Since then, rumors about a long-promised third installment in the archaeological franchise have come and gone, leaving fans wondering if the franchise had quietly faded into Hollywood history.

Now, there’s finally a promising update.

While attending the Producer’s Guild Awards in support of his PGA-nominated film "F1," legendary producer Jerry Bruckheimer shared an update about the long-awaited threequel to "National Treasure".

Speaking on the red carpet to "The Direct," Bruckheimer confirmed that the next chapter of the treasure-hunting saga is moving forward, revealing that the team is currently working on the screenplay.

According to Bruckheimer, the project is “coming along quite well,” signaling the most encouraging progress fans have heard in years.

The original National Treasure introduced audiences to historian-turned-adventurer Ben Gates, played by Nicolas Cage, who uncovers hidden clues throughout American history while chasing legendary artifacts.

It's sequel, "National Treasure: Book of Secrets," arrived three years later and leaned even further into globe-trotting conspiracies and historical puzzles. While reviews were mixed, the film performed strongly at the box office, and it became a cult favorite.

Since then, though, the road to a third entry has been anything but smooth. Talk of another installment has surfaced repeatedly since 2007, often followed by long stretches of silence.

Disney attempted to keep the franchise alive with the Disney+ series "National Treasure: Edge of History" in 2022, but the show was canceled after one season, leaving fans once again hoping the story would continue on the big screen.

In May 2024, Bruckheimer revealed that Ted Elliott — best known for his work on the Pirates of the Caribbean films — had been tapped to write the screenplay for the third movie. Then, in 2025, Bruckheimer said that the sequel was inching closer to becoming a reality, adding that the intention remained for Cage to return as Ben Gates and for original director Jon Turteltaub to come back behind the camera.

Even with a script in development, one major variable still hangs over the film: whether Cage will reprise the role. The actor cast some doubt on the project in 2024 when he told Screen Rant that “there is no National Treasure 3,” suggesting the long-rumored sequel might never materialize.