While audiences eagerly await his dive into the macabre with Renfield, Nicolas Cage's National Treasure 3 has gotten an optimistic update from producer Jerry Bruckheimer. Cage was the face of the adventure franchise for its first two films, starring as historian, cryptographer and treasure hunter Benjamin Gates as he investigates treasures with major ties to American history with the help of archivist Dr. Abigail Chase, computer expert Riley Poole and his father, Patrick. Though met with mixed reviews, both National Treasure movies were hit with audiences, who have held out hope for a third film, and while Disney has focused their efforts on the sequel show, National Treasure: Edge of History, the chances for another feature adventure look to be bright.

In honor of National Treasure: Edge of History's release on Disney+, E! Online spoke with Jerry Bruckheimer to discuss the trajectory of the franchise. The producer offered an optimistic update on the long-awaited National Treasure 3, confirming development is still underway on the threequel and plans for its big screen release. See what Bruckheimer shared below:

We said we'd like to make another National Treasure and they said, 'Sure, let's come up with a new cast.' At the same time, we were developing National Treasure for the theaters with Nicolas Cage—which we still are. So, that's ongoing.
Why National Treasure 3 Is Finally Gaining Steam


Talks have swirled for a potential National Treasure 3 for nearly 15 years, though fell off in the mid 2010s, with Cage citing a reported lack of interest from Disney following the underwhelming performance of The Sorcerer's Apprentice and the actor's seeming waning as a box office name. Bruckheimer, however, has always remained optimistic about trying to get a third film off the ground, believing the interest was still there with audiences. Both the producer and franchise director Jon Turtletaub have indicated that the biggest hurdle for National Treasure 3's development has been landing on a story Disney is eager to get behind.

Despite these struggles, the past few years have seen National Treasure 3 finally gaining steam in its development for a variety of reasons, namely that of Cage's resurgence in popularity thanks to the likes of Pig, Mandy and The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, among others. Additionally, Disney began moving forward with deeper development as they brought on Bad Boys for Life's Chris Bremner to pen a new script, all the while developing the sequel Disney+ show that features the returns of Justin Bartha as Riley and Harvey Keitel as former FBI agent Peter Sandusky. Showrunners Cormac and Marianne Wibberley have also teased their plans to try and bring Cage into National Treasure: Edge of Secrets, comparing his meeting with the show's protagonist Jess to that of Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark and Tom Holland's Peter Parker in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Though Bruckheimer continues to remain optimistic for National Treasure 3, it will be interesting to see if Disney tries to ride the steam from the TV show and Cage's resurgence and finally get the film made. With National Treasure: Edge of History scoring mixed reviews just a week after its premiere, the studio will likely be keeping an eye on its viewership numbers to not only determine its season 2 chances, but also whether to properly bring Cage back for another theatrical adventure. While audiences await confirmation of a potential National Treasure 3, they can catch new episodes of National Treasure: Edge of History Wednesdays on Disney+.