Thomas Lennon Teases Night at the Museum's Future (Exclusive)

The Night at the Museum franchise is alive again. The Museum of Natural History's artifacts will take animated form this Friday, December 9th when Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again hits Disney+, a cartoon follow-up to 2014's Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb. The museum's keys are left in the hands of Joshua Bassett's Nick Daley, the son of the franchise's leading character, Larry Daley. While Ben Stiller portrayed Larry in live-action, Shazam! star Zachary Levi takes over the role in a vocal capacity. Even though this animated adventure passes a bulk of the ensemble to new talent, one familiar voice is returning in a new position.

Actor Thomas Lennon, who scribed the first two Night at the Museum films, returns to the franchise in an acting capacity, this time voicing Theodore Roosevelt. Speaking to ComicBook.com's Liam Crowley while promoting Reno 911! It's a Wonderful Heist, Lennon revealed the role quite literally came across his desk.

"I just auditioned for the role of Teddy in the Night at the Museum animated film. I was not offered it, but I just happened to get a normal audition," Lennon revealed. "I got an email from my agent. They're like, 'Do you want to audition for Teddy Roosevelt in the animated Night at the Museum movie?' I'm like, 'That's hilarious, because I made up that character.' It was just a totally normal audition that I sent in."

When asked if he has interest in revisiting the franchise alongside Stiller in a live-action capacity again, Lennon made it clear that he would jump at the opportunity.

"Oh God, yes. Of course," Lennon said. "I think Night at the Museum will always loom as one of the high points of our career. It's been a beautiful franchise."

While it remains to be seen how a new live-action Night at the Museum film would come about, Lennon teased that the animated installment "opens up" the world for more sequels.

"The new Disney+ [movie] is also really funny. [It's] really great. It opens up a lot of new possibilities for it," Lennon teased. "I'm a pretty big Night at the Museum fan."

Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again streams on Disney+ this Friday. Lennon's latest live-action project, Reno 911! It's a Wonderful Heist, is streaming on fuboTV.