The ''National Treasure'' franchise consists of
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
historical fiction
Historical fiction is a literary genre in which the plot takes place in a setting related to the past events, but is fictional. Although the term is commonly used as a synonym for historical fiction literature, it can also be applied to other ty ...
action-adventures, including two released
theatrical films
A feature film or feature-length film is a narrative film (motion picture or "movie") with a running time long enough to be considered the principal or sole presentation in a commercial entertainment program. The term ''feature film'' originall ...
and a prequel
book series, while future installments are in development. The plot centers around the Gates family –
treasure hunters
Treasure hunter is the physical search for treasure. For example, treasure hunters try to find sunken shipwrecks and retrieve artifacts with market value. This industry is generally fueled by the market for antiquities. The practice of treasur ...
who search for and preserve lost valuables from the history of the United States of America.
The first film was a financial success at the box office.
While it was met with mixed reviews by critics, who compared the movie unfavorably to ''
Indiana Jones
''Indiana Jones'' is an American media franchise based on the adventures of Dr. Henry Walton "Indiana" Jones, Jr., a fictional professor of archaeology, that began in 1981 with the film '' Raiders of the Lost Ark''. In 1984, a prequel, '' Th ...
'' and ''
The Da Vinci Code'',
audience response was positive, and the film has gained a positive legacy.
The second film was also met with mixed critical reception like its predecessor and had criticism directed at its use of similar plot devices,
believability,
and pacing.
The film was met with positive response from audiences and made significant revenue at the box office