The National Treasure series in recent history has been buried like an ancient relic. After two successful films in 2004 and 2007, many believed that audiences would one day see a third installment, giving the series a proper end.
Unfortunately, longtime fans were disappointed to learn that the franchise would be moving from film to television with an all-new series, National Treasure: Edge of History. The series had little to no connection to the film series and was poorly received by both critics and audiences. The series was canceled after only one season with 10 episodes total.
After the poor reception of the television series, it was believed that Disney would shift its focus to a third film in order to revive the property theatrically. However, the third film had been in and out of development hell for quite some time, with its future often shrouded in mystery.
Now we have an update from the franchise’s star, Nicolas Cage, who plays the series’ protagonist, Benjamin Gates. Cage was apparently attached to a third film, with the franchise’s producer Jerry Bruckheimer sending him a script for approval. However, in a recent interview with ScreenRant, when asked about the possibility of returning for a third film, the actor seemed almost annoyed by the question and gave a blunt answer:
“Here we go! See, you’re the one that brings these things up and they go out and they eclipse everything else. No, there is no National Treasure 3. If you want to find treasure, don’t look at Disney, okay? It’s not there.“
Many people see Cage as the face of the franchise, much like Johnny Depp with the Pirates of the Caribbean series. But similar to how fans state that they won’t support the Pirates series without Depp, fans most likely won’t support a third National Treasure film without Cage. But like Depp, Disney seems to have put Cage off from returning to the series if there is a future.
What do you think? Should Disney go forward with a third National Treasure film without Cage? Or is it best to leave the series buried in its tomb? Let us know.
Source: ScreenRant
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