Production is well underway for the new National Treasure series coming to Disney+; however, one thing its mere existence has caused confusion about is the status of the long-awaited – and previously announced – National Treasure 3.

Could the two co-exist, or would the series connect to the film in some way?

Those are the questions fans have aching to find out the answers to. While it appears that the new series has no connection to the first two films at all, in a recent interview with GQ, franchise star Nicolas Cage expressed his belief that the film series is finished. More specifically, he hinted that the new series would both stand on its own and eclipse it.

There are two sections in the interview where Cage suggests the film isn’t happening. The first, is when he says that the phone stopped ringing for him after films like The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and Ghost Rider “didn’t work [or] sell tickets.”

He recalls the phone calls he did have, where he asks, “What do you mean we’re not doing National Treasure 3? It’s been 14 years. Why not?”

It isn’t until later on in the interview where he reveals that he’s grown more fond of making indies than big budget blockbusters anyway. Despite the interviewer’s insistence that Cage will be in a third National Treasure movie – and that Jerry Bruckheimer swears something’s in development – Cage says, “When I talk about fair-weather friends in Hollywood, I’m not talking about Jerry. I’m talking about Disney. They’re like an ocean liner. Once they go in a certain direction, you’ve got to get a million tugboats to try to swivel it back around.”

You don’t have to read between the lines to understand that he means, if Disney is pleased with the new series, there won’t be a need to go back to the film franchise.

Since its announcement in 2020, there have been no additional details revealed about the third National Treasure film. Because of how much traction the series has gotten, it’s understandable why Cage thinks Disney has different priorities.

Like so many other fans, we’re still cautiously optimistic, but only time will tell what happens.

SOURCE: GQ