Ruben Fleischer is set to return to the director's chair for the highly anticipated fourth installment of the Now You See Me franchise. This exciting announcement was revealed by Adam Fogelson, the chair of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, during a recent presentation at CinemaCon.
The third film, which Fleischer has directed, is officially titled Now You See Me: Now You Don’t and is scheduled for release on November 14. The Now You See Me franchise has proven to be a significant success, grossing an impressive $687 million worldwide across its previous installments.
The original films featured a star-studded cast including Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco, and Morgan Freeman. The upcoming third film introduces new talents, including Justice Smith, Dominic Sessa, and Ariana Greenblatt, who will portray a new generation of illusionists. Additionally, Rosamund Pike will be joining the franchise in this latest installment.
Bobby Cohen, who has been integral in developing and producing all previous films in the series, will return to produce this new entry alongside Alex Kurtzman of Secret Hideout. Meredith Wieck will oversee the project for Lionsgate, ensuring that the film maintains its high standards of entertainment and intrigue.
Fogelson expressed his enthusiasm about Fleischer's return, stating, “Ruben has delivered all of the twists and turns and sleight-of-hand that audiences expect from this franchise while upping the stakes and scale in every way. We can’t wait for audiences to discover what he’s done with the third film and thrilled he’ll be making even more magic with us.”
Fleischer shared his excitement about directing Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, describing it as “as much fun as making any movie in my career.” He noted that the film combines two of his favorite genres—heist movies and magic—and working with such an incredible cast has been a truly magical experience. He expressed a strong desire to continue the franchise, saying, “Of course I want to keep it going.”
In this new chapter, Fleischer reunites with Eisenberg and Harrelson, who also starred in his debut film, Zombieland, a box office hit that remains a cult classic. Eisenberg remarked, “It’s very good to be back,” during an exclusive first look at the film. He teased, “In the world of magic, everything that disappears, reappears,” hinting at a thrilling plot where two generations of magicians join forces to combat corrupt money launderers involved in selling diamonds to warlords.
The film promises a blend of disguises, combat, and intricate sleight of hand, with a trick that is “bigger and better than anything you have ever seen.” Harrelson’s character may be facing challenges, as Greenblatt noted, “It’s eight magicians against a worldwide criminal network.”
Fleischer's recent directorial works include Uncharted, which grossed over $400 million worldwide, and Venom, which achieved a remarkable $850 million globally. The deal for the new project was negotiated by Robert Melnik on behalf of Lionsgate, with Fleischer represented by CAA and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern.
