Though announced several years ago, the Now You See Me 3 news has been scarce with uncertainty of the sequel’s future. The original Now You See Me was a glossy thriller that involved a team of magicians called the Four Horsemen who pull off a series of daring heists using their skills in illusion, hypnosis, and sleight-of-hand. While Now You See Me was released to mixed reviews but became a surprise success, grossing over $350 million worldwide. Now You See Me 2 was once again met with a mixed reception and while it was a hit, the gross was slightly less than the original. After years of silence, Now You See Me 3 remains a lingering question.
Rumors have suggested all manner of developments for Now You See Me 3, from the star-studded cast of Now You See Me returning to a third outing as well as a totally new story serving as a soft reboot of the franchise. With Now You See Me 2 coming out in 2016, the long delay for the third movie has caused many fans to wonder if it was coming at all. The project has not been scrapped yet but there has been little movement behind the scenes since it was first announced. However, the popularity of the first two movies continues to grow thanks to the streaming world, meaning the demand for Now You See Me 3 news hasn’t waned.
Now You See Me 3: Latest News
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The latest Now You See Me 3 news revealed a new director for the franchise in 2022. After Louis Leterrier directed the first movie and John M. Chu directed the second, the franchise will continue its trend of someone new helming each installment with Ruben Fleischer signing on to direct Now You See Me 3. Fleischer is a genre filmmaker like the other two directors of the franchise, having already cut his teeth in big-budget movies like Venom and Uncharted. He also directed Zombieland and Zombieland: Double Tap, meaning that he has a preexisting relationship with Now You See Me stars Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg.
Fleischer’s penchant for mixing blockbuster action with a comedic vibe seems well-suited for Now You See Me 3. While this news was first announced back in 2022, there still hasn’t been much movement on the sequel. Though he makes for a fitting new director for the third Now You See Me movie, Fleischer is also in demand and won’t be available indefinitely. With no news of further advances in production since Fleischer’s attachment to Now You See Me 3, and development likely on pause due to the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, it’s still unclear exactly how long there is to wait until the next Now You See Me movie.
Now You See Me 3 Is Officially Happening
Even before the second movie was released, it was confirmed Now You See Me 3 was already in the works. Director Jon M. Chu was set to return for the sequel, however, Ruben Fleisher was confirmed to be taking over as director in September 2022. The project has gone silent since then, making its future uncertain despite the initial announcement. Now You See Me 2 earned a respectable box office haul comparable to the original, but it may have been less than the studio was hoping and thus made them question a third movie. As of now, there is no Now You See Me 3 release date.
Now You See Me 3: Cast
The Now You See Me 3 cast is unconfirmed, but it is likely the third movie would try to bring back its star-studded ensemble. The main cast includes Mark Ruffalo, Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, and Dave Franco and the magician heroes. Isla Fisher didn’t return for Now You See Me 2 after starring in the first movie, leading to Lizzy Caplan to join the cast. However, with them playing two different characters, it is entire possible each of them could return.
Now You See Me 2 villains Michael Caine and Daniel Radcliffe could also possibly return while Morgan Freeman has been set up as an ally of the heroes, reversing his villainous reveal in the first movie. There was also a rumor of Benedict Cumberbatch playing the villain in Now You See Me 3, playing on his Doctor Strange role similar to Radcliffe referencing his magical past as Harry Potter, however, nothing has come of that since it was initially circulated.
Now You See Me 3: Story Details
Now You See Me 3 story detail are not yet known, but Now You See Me 2 did leave hints for where the franchise could go from there. The second movie ended with Ruffalo’s character asked to take over the leadership of The Eye, a secret society of magicians while offering the tease that the Horsemen would join the society as well. However, some rumors and theories about Now You See Me 3 suggest it could be a soft reboot, and The Eye gives a perfect opportunity for this.
The star-studded cast of Now You See Me would be difficult to bring back in full for a third time, especially if the studio is looking to keep the budget of the next installment down. Now You See Me 3 could then focus on other magicians in The Eye, forming a new team to follow or even just featuring one lone protagonist. This could also leave the door open for a cameo by Mark Ruffalo’s Dylan while allowing the franchise to go in new directions free from the mythology of the characters of the original movies.
A Chinese Now You See Me Spinoff Was Developed
In addition to Now You See Me 3 being announced, it was reported that Lionsgate was developing a Chinese spinoff of the franchise. The film was set to star Jay Chou (The Green Hornet) as his character Li from Now You See Me 2, though it’s unknown if any other actors from the series would have reappeared. Little has been heard about this spinoff since 2016, and it’s currently unclear if it’s still planned.
