Diane Kruger says audiences shouldn't get their hopes up for a National Treasure 3 featuring the original cast, but she would be open to returning to the franchise. Kruger first appeared as Dr. Abigail Chase in the first Nation Treasure film in 2004. Alongside Nicolas Cage's Benjamin Franklin Gates and Justin Bartha as Riley Poole, the group go on a rollicking adventure as they steal the Declaration of Independence while on the hunt for an ancient hidden treasure. The movie was a hit, and the three leads would reprise their roles for 2007's National Treasure: Book of Secrets. This time around, the team is on a globe-trotting escapade involving the conspiracy to assassinate Abraham Lincoln, a plan to kidnap the president, and a lost city of gold. Both movies were financial successes and crowd-pleasers. National Treasure 3 was rumored to be in the works, but not much has been heard about the project lately.
However, audiences hungry for more National Treasure stories still have something to look forward to. In 2020, a new Disney+ National Treasure series was announced and is now in the early stages of production. Lisette Alexis has already been cast as the lead in this reimagining of the franchise. The series will follow Alexis as Jess Morales, a young Latina adventurer seeking out secrets about her family's mysterious past. No official release date has been announced, but the National Treasure series comes from producer Jerry Bruckheimer, one of the films' original producers.
In an interview with ComicBook.com, Kruger cast doubt that National Treasure 3 will ever see the light of day. However, she also added a glimmer of hope about a potential return to the franchise. Read Kruger's full comments below:
I really don't know. No one ever contacted me about the third one, so I don't know. I feel like, at this point, we're way too old. I don't know. I mean, I would say, 'Never say never,' but it's been it's been a minute, you know?
Kruger's concern about the cast's age probably isn't an unreasonable one. After all, it has been 15 years since any of the actors stepped into the respective roles and action films like these can often be very physically demanding and take a toll on a performer. However, that doesn't mean there's not still an audience for older explorers and adventurers. Even at age 79, Harrison Ford is about to don his iconic fedora for Indiana Jones 5, so whether the characters have noticeably aged or not, it's likely audiences would still show up for a National Treasure 3.
While viewers might be disappointed to hear that a third film starring the original cast doesn't seem to be in the cards, there's solace to be found in knowing that the Disney+ series is coming to scratch that National Treasure 3 itch. It might not be the sequel audiences were hoping for, but it'll have to do. But, as Kruger said, "never say never."
Source: ComicBook.com