The next instalment in the Now You See Me franchise has officially been confirmed.
According to Screen Daily, major film studio Lionsgate International are set to launch AFM (American Film Market) sales next week for the sequel, with Ruben Fleischer (Venom, Zombieland) to direct, and Alex Kurtzman and Bobby Cohen returning to produce.
The franchise, which launched in 2013, follows a group of highly skilled magicians and illusionists using their talents and tricks to commit crimes and stage multi-million dollar heists. With the franchise as a whole earning close to $700 million, it was only a matter of time before another sequel would be announced, with the third instalment first hinted at back in 2015.
The third movie in the series will see reprisals from some of Hollywood’s greats, with Woody Harrelson, Morgan Freeman and Jesse Eisenberg returning in their main roles. Michael Caine, who appeared in the first two movies, will not join the cast, having recently announced his retirement from acting.
During the release of the second movie, Now You See Me 2, released in 2016, NME spoke to Eisenberg about his preparation for the leading role of J.Daniel Atlas, an arrogant illusionist who leads the group. He shared: “We did a magic boot camp two weeks before shooting and tried to learn as much as possible.”
He explained that they had some good teaching, saying, “We worked with some of the best illusionists in the business – Keith Barry, Andrew Gikh and Blake Void.”
It is unconfirmed at this time whether other key cast members including Isla Fisher, Dave Franco and Mark Ruffalo will reprise their roles. A release date is yet to be announced, however production is reportedly set to begin in 2024.
