The first two National Treasure movies were both great. The first movie, National Treasure, came out in 2004 and first introduced us to Benjamin Franklin Gates, played by Nicholas Cage. Benjamin "Ben" is a member of a family of treasure hunters. At a young age, his grandfather tells him the legend of the hidden treasures of the Founding Fathers of the USA. His grandfather teaches him that the men and women of American history buried the treasure somewhere within the country and have hidden highly cryptic clues throughout various lands within the nation's borders. This eventually leads to his great treasure quest.
Then in 2007, National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets came out. Several years after Benjamin "Ben" found the Knight's Templar national treasure, the Gates family finds themselves once again defending their family name. Competing scavenger Mitch Wilkinson claims that he has learned from a fragment of a missing page of John Wilkes Booth's diary, that the Gates family ancestor was a conspirator to the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln in 1865. Together the Gates family contends with Wilkinson, who also states that hints to the whereabouts of the Lost City of Gold were found in the journal. This leads to the group traveling the globe to France, England, and Washington, D.C., where their plans escalate. Along the way the team collect clues to redeem the family name, and to prove his honor.
Then the latest installment was a TV series on Disney+ in December of 2022, entitled National Treasure: Edge of History. The series was about a young woman named Jess Valenzuela who, after being given a clue about a long-lost treasure connected to her family, goes on an adventure with her friends to find it. The show follows her as she uses her puzzle-solving skills to follow a trail of clues hidden in historical artifacts and landmarks, all while racing against a mysterious and powerful rival. The series expands on the National Treasure movie franchise by exploring a new treasure hunt with a younger cast.
I really enjoyed the first 2 films and while the TV series wasn't as good, it was still a good watch. Talks though of a third film in the series has been ongoing for years! You get your hopes up and then all talk fades away. The official word from Jerry Bruckheimer is now, in a recent interview with TheWrap, Bruckheimer confirms that National Treasure 3 is still in the works. “We’re getting closer on that one," the producer said of the project. Crucially, Bruckheimer also reveals that the expectation for the film is that both Turteltaub and Cage will return.
So, can we expect something in the next few years? Here's hoping. Until then, watch the first 2 movies again and if you never watched the TV series on Disney+, give it a watch!