Here's everything we know about the release, cast, and story of the upcoming magical heist flick Now You See Me 3.
When Will Now You See Me 3 Release?
Now You See Me 3 has been in development for several years after the last movie was released to mixed reviews and moderate box office success in 2016.
The first reports of development on the heist threequel came in April 2020 as Lionsgate recruited the Oscar-nominated Top Gun: MaverickandAmerican Hustle writer Eric Warren Singer to pen Now You See Me 3.
More recently, Deadline revealed in September 2022 that the studio had hired Venom and Uncharted director Ruben Fleischer to helm Now You See Me 3. At the same time, The Lego Batman Movie scribe Seth Grahame-Smith came on board to rewrite the script with Fleischer.
Fleischer added how he is a "lifelong fan of heist movies" and finds the "opportunities are endless" with magicians in the driver's seat:
"I am a lifelong fan of heist movies – I love getting drawn in by the twists and the mystery where nothing is what it seems. And that’s even more true when the thieves are magicians – the opportunities are endless."
The screenwriter noted how Eric Warren Singer was "able to unlock a fresh and exciting way" to enter the threequel with his script, suggesting much of his take will remain under himself and Seth Grahame-Smith:
"Eric was able to unlock a fresh and exciting way into a new movie and fun new characters, so I’m excited to dig in even further.”
Speaking in an investor call in November - via ComicBook - Lionsgate's Motion Picture Group Chair Joe Drake confirmed the "reimagined" Now You See Me threequel is "going to start [production] in the spring:"
"We reimagined 'Now You See Me' with Ruben Fleischer, who is an absolute master at shepherding franchises. If you think he did Venom and Uncharted, couldn't be happier about that. That's going to start in the spring."
Looking at Now You See Me 2, production began in November 2014 before the movie came to theaters around 19 months later in June 2016. If Now You See Me 3 can start filming in spring 2024 as planned, the movie ought to be released around fall 2025, give or take a few months.
Who Will Return in Now You See Me 3?
At the time of boarding the threequel, director Ruben Fleischer revealed his excitement to collaborate with Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, and the "incredible cast" of the Now You See Me franchise:
“There are three things in this world I absolutely love… Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson and magic. To have the chance to work with these two talented actors, as well as rest of the incredible cast of the Now You See Me movies is a dream come true."
As such, the filmmaker appears to have confirmed that, at the very least, Eisenberg and Harrelson will be back in their magical roles. But with the promise of the franchise's "incredible cast" returning, Dave Franco, Mark Ruffalo, and Morgan Freeman all seem like shoe-ins for a comeback too.
In the first movie, the role of the Four Horsem*n's female member was filled by Isla Fisher's Henley Reeves. But the actress had to sit out Now You See Me 2 due to her pregnancy, leading her place to be filled by Lizzy Caplan's Lula.
Going into Now You See Me 3, either or both of the franchise's female leads could return, but the latter is more likely after Henley left the group due to boredom.
One Now You See Me staple who, unfortunately, is unlikely to return for the third outing is Michael Caine's Arthur Tressler, as the 90-year-old actor recently announced his retirement following his latest movie, The Great Escaper.
What Will Happen in Now You See Me 3?
Lionsgate has put plenty of emphasis on how Now You See Me 3 will serve as a "reimagined" take on the franchise. At the time of bringing on board original writer Eric Warren Singer, Lionsgate President Nathan Kahane told Deadline how the movie takes the franchise to a "whole new level:"
“Eric has always been fascinated with the fine art of deception and illusion in all of its forms and he came to us with a great story that takes the mythology of'Now You See Me' and pushes The Four Horsem*n to a whole new level with our key returning cast and new characters.”
He teased that the threequel will serve as a departure from the franchise's first two movies, noting how "you can’t keep doing the same tricks:"
“'The Now You See Me'franchise has been built on keeping theaudience surprised and guessing. Any great magician knows, you can’t keep doing the same tricks. And Eric and his team of illusionists have something special up their sleeve for thisnew film.”
Going into Now You See Me 3, many are expecting The Eye to play a more important role than ever as fans finally take a deeper dive into the inner workings of the ancient magical group and its members.
This ought to offer the opportunity to introduce plenty of new magicians to assist in whatever heisting tale the threequel will have to offer, delivering on Kahane's promise of bringing in the "key returning cast and new characters."
With so long passed since Now You See Me 2 and this being teased as a reimagining of the franchise, the threequel may end up as something of a soft reboot that largely avoids connections to the previous movies.
Now You See Me 3 has yet to announce an official release date.
