National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007)
- Before Nicolas Cage was cast, several major A-list stars turned down the lead role because they felt the script was too risky.
- Eagle-eyed viewers have noticed a hidden easter egg referencing Jon Turteltaub's previous film in the background of the opening scene.
- The incredible score for National Treasure: Book of Secrets was composed in just a few weeks after the original composer dropped out.
National Treasure: Book of Secrets is a 2007 American adventure film directed by Jon Turteltaub, the sequel to the 2004 hit. Nicolas Cage returns as Benjamin Franklin Gates, who must clear his ancestor's name when evidence surfaces linking Thomas Gates to the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. The investigation leads Ben through a series of clues connected to a lost City of Gold, requiring him to kidnap the President of the United States, break into Buckingham Palace, and navigate a hidden labyrinth beneath Mount Rushmore.
The film expanded the franchise's mythology while maintaining the family-friendly, history-as-treasure-hunt formula that made the original successful. Ed Harris joined the cast as Mitch Wilkinson, a black market antiquities dealer whose ambiguous motivations added complexity. Helen Mirren appeared as Ben's mother, an expert in Native American history.
National Treasure: Book of Secrets earned $459 million worldwide on a $130 million budget.
