A third installment in the Now You See Me series is on the way, and Lionsgate has found the movie's director, with Ruben Fleischer has been tapped to direct the feature. He will also oversee the latest screenplay draft that will be written by Seth Grahame-Smith (The Lego Batman Movie).
Throughout his career, Fleischer has helped breathe life into a number of notable movies, including 2009's Zombieland and its eventual sequel Zombieland: Double Tap. Most recently he directed the Tom Holland-led Uncharted, which grossed $400 million worldwide. He also directed Venom ($850 million worldwide) and was involved in Venom: Let There Be Carnage as an executive producer. While largely involved in film, whether in a directorial or producer capacity, Fleischer also holds experience directing episodic television, including NBC's Superstore. His career has run the gamut of genres, marking him as a solid choice for Now You See Me 3.
The first Now You See Me released in 2013 and followed a group of skilled illusionists, dubbed The Four Horseman, whose impressive shows send the FBI and Interpol on a chase to not only discover how the illusions are done, but to also stop the group before they can cause any more chaos. The sequel, Now You See Me 2, saw the group reunite (with a new member after one left) to expose the unethical practices of a major tech genius, Walter Mabry (Daniel Radcliffe). However, it wasn't by choice, as the group is forced into creating and performing one of their most ambitious illusions yet.
Both movies star Jesse Eisenberg, Dave Franco, Woody Harrelson, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, and Mark Ruffalo. Isla Fisher appeared in the first movie but did not return for the sequel, with Lizzy Caplan filling the fourth Horseman spot. Ed Solomon, Boaz Yakin, and Edward Ricourt wrote the first movie with Louis Leterrier directing. Solomon returned for the sequel, with the story by Peter Chiarelli and Jon M. Chu as director.
About the upcoming movie, Fleischer told Deadline:
"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. 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. 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."
Bobby Cohen and Secret Hideout's Alex Kurtzman will serve as producers for the third movie. Meredith Wieck and Chisom Ude oversee the project for Lionsgate. For now, there is currently no confirmation on whether any cast will return.
Now You See Me 3 does not yet have a projected release window. Check out Collider's interview with Fleischer below: