"National Treasure" director Jon Turteltaub suggested Friday that politics was a factor in delaying the third film in the Nicolas Cage-led franchise and predicted the issue would be addressed in the new sequel.
During a live recording of the "National Treasure Hunt" podcast in Philadelphia, Turteltaub confirmed to an audience that "National Treasure 3" was "finally real" with a finished script approved by him and Disney.
The original film, "National Treasure," came out in 2004 with its sequel, "National Treasure: Book of Secrets," premiering three years later in 2007. Both were directed by Turteltaub.
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While discussing the gap between the second and third films, Turteltaub said that the growing political climate in the country made it difficult to keep working on the historical fiction film series, citing an interaction with former Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
"He, like others, were surprised that Democrats made that movie because Democrats can’t be patriots," Turteltaub said, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. "That’s the thought and it just got worse. And on the Democrats’ side: ‘Oh, Republicans, they just want to keep stuff to themselves, they hate everybody, they want to kill everyone, and blah blah blah.'"
Though he did not offer many details about the third film, Turteltaub predicted that it would inevitably have to address modern politics.
"We have to be very careful, but I don’t feel we are allowed to ignore it," Turteltaub said. "I think we have to include that idea in the story somehow without making someone feel put off."
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Fox News Digital reached out to Disney for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Turteltaub and producer Jerry Bruckheimer have hinted at the production of a third film starring Cage for years, though production has yet to take place. Even on the podcast, Turteltaub joked "things could happen" in the meantime.
"Now, it’s Hollywood real, meaning things could happen. Nic gets hit by a bus, there’s no 'National Treasure 3.' If I get hit by a bus, there’s probably a 'National Treasure 3.' Welcome to Hollywood," Turteltaub said.
In a comment to Fox News Digital, film critic Christian Toto, the founder and editor of Hollywood in Toto, said that it made sense for Hollywood to tackle another older franchise for nostalgia but expressed disappointment in the idea of addressing politics.
"It sounds like Turteltaub, a veteran Hollywood director who isn't known for his political views, was accurately assessing how Hollywood views patriotism and the political divide," Toto said. "It's actually a sad sign of the times — a franchise about U.S. history is now seen as problematic or challenging, when it should be nothing of the kind."
"A franchise like this would be best served staying apolitical, and the director's comments suggest a way to thread the needle between acknowledging our political chasm and moving forward with a fresh new story," he added. "Heck, if that delicate balance works, it might be the biggest film in the franchise."
