By Writer Ted Elliot has confirmed that a first draft script for a third film in the “National Treasure” franchise is finished.
Appearing on the NTH podcast, via ScreenRant, Elliot confirms the script’s status and says it’s still in need of re-writes.
He also confirms that the events of the cancelled TV series “National Treasure: Edge of History” will be canon in the new film. Specifically, the passing of Harvey Keitel’s agent Sudusky character and the other hints towards the films within the series. He says:
“Agent Sudusky is dead. I’m treating the TV series as canon. I’m trying to do something different with the FBI than was done in the previous two movies. There’s still the pursuers, there’s still the force for law and order, but just the way they operate I’m trying to do something just a little bit different.”
Elliot also went into details of the new film with a big focus being on the changes with Riley (Justin Bartha) and his relationship with Nic Cage’s Ben Gates:
“Riley has changed more [than anyone]. If you just look at the two points that are established for him in the first and second movies. In the first one, he is the uninformed audience. That’s the role he plays. He’s the guy who says, ‘What are you talking about there?’
In the second one, he’s written a book about cryptohistory. And he’s right! He knows something Ben didn’t know about history. I just have to think that that’s continued.
It becomes more difficult to do the history exposition because there are things [Riley] can know now. In terms of writing the third movie, there is, I think, a change to Ben and Riley’s inner relationship that I think both actors will really enjoy.”
2004’s four-quadrant family action-adventure film snagged good reviews and $347.5 million off a $100 million budget. The sequel in 2007, though less well-received critically, still managed to grab $459.2 million from a $130 million budget.
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