When Disney released National Treasure: Book of Secrets in 2007, it brought back the eccentric blend of historical conspiracy and globetrotting adventure that made the original film a hit. The sequel expanded the core roster by introducing heavyweight Oscar winners alongside returning fan favorites. Knowing who plays who helps clear up how the dynamic shifts from a simple artifact hunt to a deeply personal family redemption story.
The principal ensemble features Nicolas Cage leading the charge as Benjamin Franklin Gates, joined by Justin Bartha as the tech-savvy Riley Poole and Diane Kruger as archive expert Abigail Chase. The sequel shakes up the family tree by adding Jon Voight's returning father alongside Helen Mirren as Ben's estranged mother, while Ed Harris steps in as the primary antagonist.
The Core Heroes and Adventurers
At the center of the narrative stands the Gates family lineage and their tight-knit circle of allies, each bringing a specific skill set to decoding puzzles across international landmarks.
- Nicolas Cage as Benjamin Franklin Gates: Ben remains an obsessive cryptologist and historian driven by a singular mission. In this installment, his primary motivation shifts from finding lost wealth to clearing his family's name after an ancestor is implicated in the Abraham Lincoln assassination. Cage plays him with an earnest, frantic intellectual energy that grounds the wild historical leaps.
- Justin Bartha as Riley Poole: Riley serves as the skeptical comic relief and technical backbone. Having spent his book earnings and lost his Ferrari by the start of the film, Riley provides a grounded modern contrast to Ben's grand historical theories, handling the computer hacking and logistical side of the operation.
- Diane Kruger as Dr. Abigail Chase: Abigail works as a high-ranking archivist at the National Archives. Initially estranged from Ben at the start of the sequel, she gets dragged back into the chaos. Kruger balances institutional authority with a sharp adventurous streak when puzzle-solving takes over.
The Family Dynamics
A major narrative shift in the sequel is the reintroduction of Ben's parents, which adds an emotional layer to the historical scavenger hunt.
- Jon Voight as Patrick Henry Gates: Ben's father returns to offer paternal skepticism and historical context. Patrick spends a good portion of the runtime bickering with his ex-wife while helping his son navigate complex family honor issues.
- Helen Mirren as Dr. Emily Appleton-Gates: Mirren joins the franchise as Ben's mother, a brilliant professor of Native American studies. Separated from Patrick for decades, her character brings academic clout that proves vital to locating the mythical city of Cibola. Her sharp chemistry with Voight anchors the sequel's lighter interpersonal moments.
The Antagonists and Law Enforcement
Every high-stakes treasure hunt needs pressure from both criminal competition and federal agencies tracking the protagonists across borders.
- Ed Harris as Mitchell "Mitch" Wilkinson: Harris plays the primary antagonist, an ambitious black market dealer who possesses the crucial diary page that accuses Thomas Gates. Unlike generic villains, Mitch views himself as a legitimate historian denied his rightful place, giving his rivalry with Ben a personal edge.
- Harvey Keitel as Special Agent Peter Sadusky: Keitel reprises his role as the FBI agent who is equal parts exasperated by Ben's criminal trespassing and secretly impressed by his historical accuracy. Sadusky acts as a recurring safety net when the team pushes federal boundaries too far.
- Bruce Greenwood as the President of the United States: Greenwood plays the unnamed U.S. President who gets inadvertently caught up in Ben's schemes, most notably during the infamous trip to the President's secret book of secrets inside the Library of Congress.
Supporting Players and Cameos
The film populates its background with recognizable character actors and public figures to build out its sprawling institutional canvas.
- Armando Riesco as Agent Hendricks: Returning alongside Sadusky, Hendricks helps track Ben across various domestic and international locations.
- Ty Burrell as Connor: Burrell plays a White House curator who serves as Abigail's new romantic interest early in the film, creating awkward tension during the White House break-in sequence.
- Christian Camargo as John Wilkes Booth: Camargo appears in historical flashback sequences detailing the Lincoln assassination conspiracy.
For more details on the production history, you can read the Wikipedia entry on National Treasure: Book of Secrets. Behind-the-scenes data and crew details are also cataloged on Rotten Tomatoes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the main villain in National Treasure 2?
Ed Harris plays Mitch Wilkinson, the primary antagonist and black-market antiquities dealer who competes against Ben Gates to find the lost city of Cibola.
Is Sean Bean in National Treasure 2?
No. Sean Bean played the primary villain, Ian Howe, in the first National Treasure film and does not appear in the sequel.
Who plays Ben Gates' mother?
Academy Award winner Helen Mirren portrays Dr. Emily Appleton-Gates, a professor of Native American studies who joins the expedition in the second half of the movie.
Why did the cast expand so much for the sequel?
The filmmakers wanted to explore Ben Gates' family background more deeply, which necessitated adding both parents while keeping the original trio of Nicolas Cage, Diane Kruger, and Justin Bartha intact.
