Nicolas Cage to return for ‘National Treasure 3’

More than two decades after ‘National Treasure’ first hit screens, a third film in the Nicolas Cage-led adventure franchise is officially in development, director Jon Turteltaub has confirmed.

Turteltaub, who directed the 2004 original and its 2007 sequel, ‘National Treasure: Book of Secrets’ has confirmed the news, as per E! News.

“I was thinking about mentioning this tonight; I’ll say it tonight,” Turteltaub revealed, adding, “It’s happening. You’re the first people I have said this out loud to,” as quoted by E! News.

The director then declared, “It’s finally real.”

Turteltaub also revealed that a script for the third instalment has been written and approved by both him and Disney. According to the director, the studio said the script “sounds like a movie we can make.”

However, he stressed that the project remains subject to the uncertainties of Hollywood.

“Now, it’s ‘Hollywood real,’ meaning things can happen,” he explained, adding, “Nic gets hit by a bus, there’s no National Treasure. If I get hit by a bus, there’s probably a National Treasure. Welcome to Hollywood, that’s Hollywood,” as quoted by E! News.

Producer Jerry Bruckheimer is also on board, with the National Treasure Hunt podcast noting on Instagram that he has given the ‘National Treasure 3’ script his “blessing.”

The franchise began with Cage playing historian and treasure hunter Benjamin Gates, who teams up with Dr Abigail Chase, played by Diane Kruger, and Riley Poole, played by Justin Bartha.

The trio sets out to steal the Declaration of Independence in a quest to uncover a lost Freemason treasure. Jon Voight and Harvey Keitel also appeared in the films. (ANI)

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