Honestly, if you've ever found yourself staring at the back of a twenty-dollar bill wondering if there's a secret map hidden in the copperplate, you’re probably a fan. We all are. It’s been nearly two decades since Nicolas Cage last sprinted across our screens to save a historical artifact from a guy with a British accent. People keep asking the same question: how many National Treasure movies actually exist?
The short answer? Two. Just two.
But that answer is kinda frustrating because it feels like there should be ten by now. Instead, we’ve spent the last 18 years living on a diet of rumors, "leaked" scripts, and a Disney+ show that most people forgot existed five minutes after the finale. If you're looking for the breakdown of the films, the status of the legendary third installment, and why Disney keeps teasing us with "Page 47," here is the real story.
The Two Movies We Actually Have
Let’s look at what is physically sitting on your shelf or in your Disney+ library. You’ve got the original 2004 National Treasure and the 2007 sequel National Treasure: Book of Secrets. That's the list.
The first movie was basically a heist film with a history textbook. Ben Gates (Cage) steals the Declaration of Independence because—let’s be real—how else are you going to protect it from Sean Bean? It was a massive hit. It made nearly $350 million. People loved the "history is a puzzle" vibe.
Three years later, Book of Secrets dropped. This time, they went bigger. They kidnapped the President of the United States. They found the City of Gold under Mount Rushmore. It made even more money than the first one ($459 million). Usually, when a sequel makes more than the original, a third movie is greenlit before the actors even leave the set. But for some reason, the Gates family went into hiding.
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Why did it stop at two?
It wasn’t because of the money. It was a weird mix of Disney shifting its focus toward Marvel and Star Wars, and a script that apparently nobody could get right. For a decade, it was just "in development." That’s Hollywood speak for "we’re thinking about it, but nobody has a pen out."
How Many National Treasure Movies: The TV Show Problem
If you search for the franchise now, you’ll see something called National Treasure: Edge of History. This 2022 series is often mistaken for a movie or a direct continuation.
It’s not.
Well, technically it is in the same universe. Justin Bartha (Riley Poole) shows up for a cameo, and Harvey Keitel’s Agent Sadusky plays a role. But Nicolas Cage is nowhere to be found. Instead, it follows a new protagonist named Jess Valenzuela. While it tried to capture the same "riddles in the dust" magic, it didn't quite land with the die-hard fans. Disney canceled it after just one season in April 2023.
So, if you’re counting "entries" in the franchise:
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- National Treasure (2004) – Movie 1
- National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007) – Movie 2
- National Treasure: Edge of History (2022) – TV Series (1 Season)
That’s the total tally. If anyone tells you they saw National Treasure 3 on a plane once, they probably just fell asleep watching a rerun of The Sorcerer's Apprentice.
Is National Treasure 3 Actually Happening in 2026?
Here is where things get interesting. As of late 2025 and heading into early 2026, the legendary producer Jerry Bruckheimer has been doing a lot of talking. He’s the guy who finally got Top Gun: Maverick made after thirty years, so when he speaks, people listen.
In late 2025, Bruckheimer told The Wrap that they are "getting closer" on a third movie. He confirmed they have a script they actually like now. The goal? Bring back Jon Turteltaub to direct and—most importantly—bring back Nicolas Cage.
Cage has been the wildcard. For years, he was pretty blunt about it. In early 2024, he famously told Screen Rant, "No, there is no National Treasure 3. If you want to find treasure, don't look at Disney." Ouch. But Hollywood is a small place. Bruckheimer’s recent optimism suggests the bridge isn't totally burned.
If the script gets the "Cage Stamp of Approval" in early 2026, we could realistically see cameras rolling by the end of the year. But don't hold your breath for a 2026 release date. These things take time. If it happens, we’re looking at 2027 or 2028 at the earliest.
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What about the Page 47 mystery?
The biggest reason fans want a third movie is that cliffhanger from 2007. The President tells Ben to look at Page 47 of the Book of Secrets. Ben looks and says, "It’s life-altering." We still don't know what it is.
Rumors suggest it could be anything from the Fountain of Youth to the truth about the JFK assassination. If Disney doesn't give us that answer, it might be the greatest unsolved mystery in cinema history. Or just a very annoying plot hole.
Final Tally and What to Watch Next
Right now, the franchise consists of two theatrical movies and one TV series.
If you're craving that specific vibe—historical conspiracy, lighthearted action, and a bit of "wait, is that actually true?"—you have a few options while we wait for Cage to sign the contract for the threequel.
- Watch the original two back-to-back. They actually hold up surprisingly well. The practical effects and the chemistry between Cage, Bartha, and Diane Kruger are still top-tier.
- Check out Edge of History. Even though it was canceled, it expands the lore and gives Riley Poole a few more minutes of screen time.
- Dive into the "prequel" books. Most people don't know there are actually young adult novels (The Gates Family Mystery series) that dive into the history of Ben’s ancestors.
The next real step for any fan is to keep an eye on official production announcements from Disney or Bruckheimer’s camp. Ignore the fan-made "2026 Trailers" on YouTube; they're all AI-generated. The moment a real script is greenlit and Cage is officially "in," it’ll be the biggest news in the adventure genre. Until then, the count stays at two.