Nationwide Treasure 3 Is Lengthy Overdue After Disney’s Failed Streaming Plan

Nationwide Treasure 3 is required greater than ever after the cancelation of Nationwide Treasure: Fringe of Historical past. The franchise’s final film was launched in 2007 and arrange Nationwide Treasure 3 by teasing the mysterious contents on web page 47 of the USA presidents’ e-book of secrets and techniques. Regardless of this setup for a direct sequel, the franchise remained dormant for the subsequent 15 years, till a by-product collection, Nationwide Treasure: Fringe of Historical past, debuted on Disney+ in 2022.

Whereas Fringe of Historical past did function connections to the flicks and noticed a number of the unique forged members reprising their roles, together with Justin Bartha’s Riley Poole and Harvey Keitel’s Agent Peter Sadusky, the collection proved to not be as fashionable, and was canceled after one season. 17 years after Nationwide Treasure: Guide of Secrets and techniques, the engaging web page 47 Nationwide Treasure cliffhanger stays unaddressed, as does the chance to see Nicolas Cage play Benjamin Franklin Gates once more. It could have been higher for the franchise if it had proceeded with Nationwide Treasure 3 earlier than Fringe of Historical past.

Nationwide Treasure 3 Ought to’ve Been Disney’s Precedence, Not A TV Present

The Third Film Would’ve Made Extra Sense For The Franchise

Given Cage’s ongoing recognition and the enduring popularity of the unique Nationwide Treasure films, Disney ought to have made Nationwide Treasure 3 a precedence. The nostalgia of seeing Cage, Bartha, and Diane Kruger as Dr. Abigail Chase reunited on a brand new treasure looking journey can be sufficient to create vital curiosity within the film. The franchise’s earlier theatrical installments each did effectively on the field workplace and the third one probably would have adopted swimsuit as Cage’s star energy revived the collection and eventually answered the web page 47 thriller.

Nationwide Treasure and its sequel discovered success as theatrical films and that is the medium that the franchise ought to have stayed in as an alternative of pivoting to a streaming collection. Disney made the error of attempting to show too lots of their mental properties into Disney+ streaming reveals, although a few of them, together with Nationwide Treasure, work higher as films. Disney’s extreme streaming pivot was partly exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, when the way forward for theatrical films remained unsure, however it was a change that didn’t work for Nationwide Treasure.

Why Nationwide Treasure: Edge Of Historical past Did not Work

The Collection Was Lacking The Films’ Greatest Parts

Nationwide Treasure: Fringe of Historical past‘s issues started with it missing the identical sense of enjoyable journey that the flicks featured. Many critics took challenge with the shortage of precise treasure looking and puzzle fixing and that a number of the clues that did exist weren’t as compelling as these within the films. This challenge was additional amplified over the course of ten episodes, through which the collection struggled to keep up the constantly participating, quick tempo current within the films.

Fringe of Historical past additionally struggled to seek out the correct steadiness between mixing new and previous components. Regardless of Cage and many of the different unique forged members not showing within the collection, at instances, the collection felt as if it was leaning too closely on the occasions from the earlier films whereas underdeveloping the brand new avenues being explored. This made it tougher for Fringe of Historical past to change into its personal story whereas additionally failing to seize what the flicks liked within the first place, and it solely made Cage’s absence extra noticeable.

There Is One Means Edge Of Historical past Has Helped Nationwide Treasure 3

Edge Of Historical past’s Characters Can Return

Fringe of Historical past‘s characters have been one of many stronger features of the collection and will probably seem in Nationwide Treasure 3. Screenwriter Ted Elliot, who’s writing Nationwide Treasure 3‘s script, says he’s treating Fringe of Historical past as canon, which incorporates Agent Sadusky being lifeless. Not solely are Fringe of Historical past‘s characters related to the deceased Sadusky, however they’ve additionally met Riley, who attended Sadusky’s wake and helped them clear up an necessary clue.

Nationwide Treasure 3‘s foremost characters ought to nonetheless be Ben, Riley, and Abigail, however Fringe of Historical past‘s characters might have supporting roles that may observe up on their unfinished storylines. This might help tie the flicks and the tv collection collectively and make the franchise really feel extra cohesive than it did throughout Fringe of Historical past. Nationwide Treasure 3 ought to take the very best features of the earlier films and the streaming collection to make the subsequent long-awaited chapter really feel really rewarding.

Nationwide Treasure

The Nationwide Treasure franchise follows the adventures of Benjamin Franklin Gates, a historian and beginner cryptologist, as he uncovers hidden treasures linked to American historical past. The collection combines historic myths and legends with action-adventure components, main Gates on thrilling treasure hunts throughout varied vital landmarks.

Created by

Jim Kouf , Oren Aviv , Charles Segars