Jon Turtletaub hints at Ian Howe's release from prison, sparking speculation about his return in National Treasure 3. Sean Bean's character was previously seen being arrested by the FBI at the end of the original 2004 movie, though Turtletaub does acknowledge this may or may not present itself as a plot point in the third movie. Natioanl Treasure 3 has languished in development for some time, though the return of its original villain along with Nicolas Cage and the other original cast could be a major selling point for fans of the film.

National Treasure director Jon Turtletaub addresses the fate of Sean Bean's character Ian Howe. Howe is initially introduced in the 2004 movie as a partner for Nicolas Cage's Ben Gates in his quest to track down the Templar treasure, only for his greed and impatience with the number of clues required to find it leading to him turning on his friend.