Here’s a quick guide to the cast and characters of action-adventure sequel played by Nicolas Cage) – a historian, treasure hunter and cryptologist. Ben was on a quest to decode a top-secret map printed on the back of the Declaration of Independence that reveals the whereabouts of a massive horde of treasure stashed away by the Founding Father.
National Treasure wasn’t exactly a critical darling, but the movie was a big hit. Its commercial success was enough to warrant a sequel – National Treasure 2: Book Of Secrets – which was released in 2007 and reunited director Turteltaub with most of the original movie’s cast, plus a few new faces. The sequel is set a few years after the events of the first movie and sees Ben and his gang set out to prove the innocence of an ancestor accused of orchestrating Abraham Lincoln’s assassination by locating the fabled Lost City of Gold.
The action-adventure franchise is about to get a lot bigger with both a third National Treasure movie in the works and a TV series based on the films in development at Disney+. Before they arrive, here’s a National Treasure 2 cast and character guide as a refresher.
Nicolas Cage – Benjamin “Ben” Franklin Gates
The legendary Nicolas Cage stars in National Treasure 2 as historian and treasure hunter Benjamin “Ben” Franklin Gates. The sequel follows Ben as he chases clues hidden across the globe in an attempt to clear the name of his great-great-grandfather, who a fellow treasure hunter has accused of masterminding the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.
Justin Bartha – Riley Poole
Justin Bartha reprises his role as Riley Poole from the original National Treasure movie. Riley is both Ben’s best friend and a computer whiz whose expertise comes in handy with his pal’s treasure hunts. That said, Riley isn't a big fan of the danger inherent to these quests either.
Diane Kruger – Dr. Abigail Chase
Diane Kruger is another recurring National Treasure cast member and plays Dr. Abigail Chase – an archivist at the National Archives. Ben and Abigail became a couple by the end of the first film and though they’ve broken up in National Treasure 2, she nevertheless agrees to help him on his mission.
Jon Voight – Patrick Henry Gates
Patrick Henry Gates is Ben’s father and a former treasure hunter himself, who s in the sequel's quest. He’s played by Golden Globe-winning actor Jon Voight.
Helen Mirren – Dr. Emily Appleton-Gates
Helen Mirren didn’t appear in the first movie but took up residence in the National Treasure 2 cast as Ben’s mother and Patrick’s ex-wife Dr. Emily Appleton Gates – a professor of Native American languages whose expertise her son calls upon.
Ed Harris – Mitchell “Mitch” Wilkinson
Ed Harris is another new National Treasure cast member and plays the part of “Mitch” Wilkinson – a black market antiquities dealer who acts as the main antagonist of National Treasure 2 after accusing Ben’s great-great-grandfather of treason.
Harvey Keitel – FBI Special Agent Peter Sadusky
Screen icon Harvey Keitel rounds out the main cast and characters of National Treasure 2: Book Of Secrets and reprises his role as FBI agent Peter Sadusky from the first movie. While Sadusky was something of a nemesis for Ben in the original, he’s more of an ally in the sequel.
