Summary
- Nicolas Cage still finds one of his iconic lines in National Treasure ridiculous and can’t help but laugh at it after almost 20 years.
- Cage appreciates the positivity and reverence his character has for the Declaration of Independence, even though the line has become a meme.
- The third National Treasure film has been in development for a long time, but there is no confirmation yet on whether it will be made.
Nicolas Cage may have been busy with some of the best movies of his career in recent years, but there are many fans who would still love to see him return to the National Treasure franchise. Despite his last outing as Benjamin Franklin Gates being 17 years ago, Cage would clearly think about making a third movie, and cannot believe that Disney have not green-lit one. He told Deadine:
“Yeah, well, they’re a lot of fun. I mean, I enjoy them too, and I think Jon Turteltaub made a couple of classic films for the whole family. I’m still kind of amazed that Disney hasn’t wanted to make a third one. I thought the movies brought a lot of joy to the public, and it’s certainly interesting about history, and I think all of that is worthwhile filmmaking. You can dig deep and go into the more abstract stuff, like Bringing out the Dead, or Pig or even Dream Scenario, or you can open it up and make a movie that pleases a lot of people and hopefully gives families a chance to escape a little bit from whatever may be going on at home or in the office. I think they’re all valid.”
Nicolas Cage Says He Cannot Take One National Treasure Line Seriously
Release Date November 19, 2004
Rating PG
Runtime 131
Tagline The greatest adventure history has ever revealed.
Thanks to his histrionic performances, his gestures and even some slightly ridiculous scripts, Nicolas Cage has not only become one of the great stars of Hollywood, but also an actor that has become the subject of an endless collection of memes. Sometimes, it seems, even he cannot take his own performances seriously. One such instance is found in the most quoted line from his National Treasure movies involving one of America’s greatest artifacts.
Reacting to some scenes from his filmography with Vanity Fair, the actor confessed that he still finds the moment in which Benjamin Gates says he wants to steal the Declaration of Independence ridiculous:
“How do you take something that is so profoundly ridiculous and really try to sell it, okay? What I like about that scene, just seeing it again for the first time in I don’t know how many years, is I like the positivity of the character. He really believes this. He really reveres it. And I think that that’s… that’s charming. I can’t even say it without laughing ‘I’m gonna steal the Declaration of Independence.’ Because it has been memed so many times, it has been SNLed, but you can’t help but laugh, okay? I think what really makes it work is how serious Justin and I are taking it. If you played it for laughs, then it’s screwball comedy, and it’s stupid, and it’s not my thing. It’s not where I’m at. But the fact that we played it like dramatic actors makes it even more funny than it might have been if it was slapstick. I think Jon Turteltuab shot it lovingly. He really made the characters look like they had great reverence and regard, almost like it was sacred. To some, it is sacred. Like almost like a holy object. And then to punch it with ‘I’m gonna steal it,’ is, it’s so ridiculous, you just can’t help but love it. That’s nice to see that scene again. Thanks Jon Turteltaub.”
Related Dream Scenario Gives Nicolas Cage One of the Best Rotten Tomatoes Scores in His Entire Career Nicolas Cage latest movie Dream Scenario is a more than positive addition to his long career.
What’s Going on with National Treasure 3?
Buena Vista Pictures
National Treasure follows the story of archaeologist and adventurer Ben Franklin Gates, who has been obsessed with finding the treasure of the Knights Templar for years. When he finally finds a map hidden behind the Declaration of Independence, he begins a race that will take him on the greatest adventure of his life. In the sequel, released in 2007, Ben tries to prove that a document revealing that his grandfather murdered Abraham Lincoln is false. Both films were a huge success for Disney, so fans have been waiting for years for a third installment.
The third part has been in development for a long time, and the latest update came earlier this year, when producer Jerry Bruckheimer confirmed that the film was still in the works. However, as of now, there has been no confirmation that the movie will definitely be going ahead. In an attempt to expand the franchise, Disney released the series National Treasure: Edge of History on Disney+ last year, but it was canceled after a single season following a poor reception.
If you’re a Nicolas Cage fan, check out our old interview with the legend while promoting Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance.
You can view the original article HERE.
