Sean Bean's National Treasure 3 Return Would Be The Perfect Way To Get The Ball Rolling Again
It's possible that Sean Bean's character will return for National Treasure 3, and this would be the perfect way to get the franchise's ball rolling again. Ben Gates' story has been at a standstill since 2007 when National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets ended with a cliffhanger that has yet to be satisfied. Though a threequel was confirmed that same year, the film has since ended up in development hell. However, original National Treasure director Jon Turteltaub has provided some intriguing updates on the project, indicating that it may still happen.
The first National Treasure movie was released in 2004 and was a significant success for Disney. Nicolas Cage's adventure as Ben Gates was exciting, and the historical elements allowed the treasure hunt adventure to stand out. National Treasure 2 brought in even more money at the box office, allowing the House of Mouse to give their thumbs up to a third film. Now, after years of waiting, Turteltaub has revealed that a script has been written. Though it must still be deemed worthy, chances are higher than ever before that National Treasure 3 will happen—but which characters would return?
Along with revealing that a script for National Treasure 3 is in the works, Turteltaub also mentioned one of the original movie's characters. He noted that Sean Bean's Ian Howe would inevitably be released from prison, though he was sure to clarify that this doesn't necessarily mean the character will appear in National Treasure 3. Regardless, this is an exciting thought. Bean's character was an excellent villain, and though there was minimal backstory provided, it was easy to get a sense of his combined respect for Ben and desire for his own big windfall.
Ian was arrested by the FBI at the end of the first National Treasure movie and assumedly still behind bars for the sequel. Therefore, he has been absent from the franchise since the first installment in 2004. A potential return would be a great reason to get audiences back to theaters, both because of Bean's talent and star power and the nostalgia that such a character would bring to a threequel.
https://screenrant.com/national-treasure-3-sean-bean-ian-return-restore-franchise/
