Now You See Me: Now You Don’t (2025) arrives at an odd time. Despite the first two films making a mint at the box office, more than tripling their relatively high budgets, the magic heist franchise laid dormant for nearly a decade. Like a magic trick in and of itself, Now You See Me is back with a third installment that revolves around the exciting proposition of melding the original cast with a trio of fresh faces. Without original screenwriter Ed Solomon or franchise creators Boaz Yakin and Edward Ricourt on board, though, was it even worth coming back for another trick?
This latest caper is a messy blend between a formulaic legacy sequel and the Now You See Me 3 that fans have been asking for. Nothing more, nothing less. The screenplay is as ambitious in its twists and turns as it is unambitious at keeping the series in familiar territory. The Four Horsemen, played by Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher, Woody Harrelson, and Dave Franco, are charming as ever. Meanwhile, the somewhat underutilized younger cast members — Dominic Sessa, Justice Smith, and Ariana Greenblatt — make an affable impression. Director Ruben Fleischer, best known for the Zombieland franchise, Venom (2018), and Uncharted (2022), at the very least, has enough sleight of hand in the magical action department to keep the proceedings watchable.
This Now You See Me Sequel Lacks Focus
Three up-and-coming illusionists — Bosco Leroy (Sessa), Charlie (Smith), and June (Greenblatt) — have just pulled off their latest show, resurrecting the famed “Four Horsemen” via hologram as a ruse to steal from a crypto scammer. Their work has caught the eye of actual Horseman, J. Daniel Atlas (Eisenberg). As it turns out, Danny approaches the trio not to scold them (at least too much), but to recruit them for the heist of a lifetime. A mysterious benefactor has contacted Atlas to steal a diamond from the leader of an international crime syndicate, Veronika Vanderberg (Rosamund Pike).
Courtesy of Lionsgate
Now, that’s an enticing set-up for a Now You See Me: The Next Generation kind of sequel. For the first stretch of the film, it’s surprising how smoothly the baton is passed, with Jesse Eisenberg (A Real Pain) serving as the de facto mentor of the group. All three new characters have their own unique personalities that are exciting to learn about, and it seems like viewers are in for a fresh installment. Then, it becomes obvious why this script has five credited writers, as Merrit McKinney (Harrelson), Henley Reeves (Fisher), and Jack Wilder (Franco) are all brought back into the fold, making way for the classic antics of the previous Now You See Me movies.
Troubled by a Weak Villain and Forgettable Lore
To say that Now You See Me: Now You Don’t has an identity crisis is perhaps a bridge too far. Yet, it’s clear that Lionsgate struggled to decide on what kind of sequel they wanted to develop. The more traditional Now You See Me 3 tends to prevail. That’s not all bad, as plenty of globetrotting antics and preposterous, in the most complimentary sense, twists and turns are neatly packed into the narrative. The big third-act reveal of Now You See Me: Now You Don’t is so ridiculous and movie-breaking that it feels like, yes, the franchise that audiences were eating up a decade ago is truly back.
That being said, the main antagonist falls flat. Part of that is due to a significantly misjudged performance from Rosamund Pike (The Wheel of Time), who speaks in an awful South African accent. If this is an attempt at camp, it’s a poor one. Also, her actual involvement in crime is left so vague that it doesn’t even register why she’s evil. Another aspect where this Now You See Me film falters is the mythology. The secret magician organization “The Eye” has always been a problem in this series. Aside from an unhinged detour that explains their involvement in fighting the Nazis, they’re not developed much further, nor is their leader, Thaddeus Bradley, played by a very tired-looking Morgan Freeman.
Thankfully, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t is Full of Lovable Characters
Now You See Me: Now You Don’t has it where it counts. Although the aforementioned balance issues in their screen time take hold, the new magicians are terrific. Dominic Sessa (The Holdovers) continues to display his promising talent as a semi-egotistical control freak who mirrors a young Daniel Atlas. Justice Smith (I Saw the TV Glow) radiates a sweet sensitivity, while Ariana Greenblatt (Barbie) brings a winning spunk. These are characters that are worth following into Now You See Me 4, which was announced earlier this year. Hopefully, they will get more time to shine in that follow-up.
What a pleasure it is to have the original Four Horsemen back! To those who made the first Now You See Me a cult favorite, these are iconic characters. Their chemistry hasn’t missed a beat, with Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher (Confessions of a Shopaholic), Woody Harrelson (True Detective), and Dave Franco (Together) slipping back into these roles without ever feeling forced. Most impressively, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t has hidden the return of a major character, and an underrated one at that, in its marketing. For fear of ruining the trick, all that needs to be said is that they are surprisingly prominent in the story and nearly run away with the whole movie.
The Pure Joy of Mind-Bending Illusions
Of course, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t needs to deliver in the action department. Director Ruben Fleischer can be considered a journeyman filmmaker in Hollywood, having helmed blockbusters like Uncharted and Zombieland: Double Tap (2019) that are competent and entertaining at a baseline level. Nothing much has changed here. He runs with the established aesthetic of the series, which was never particularly unique to begin with, and crafts several memorable magic sequences.
The opening heist is a delight that sets expectations high with its inclusion of holograms and golden phone cases, only to be matched later by a set piece that revolves around disappearing, breaking, and then re-materializing diamonds. The grand finale, which throws together F1 cars, glass cases, and a whole lot of sand, is also a sight to behold. A lot of suspension of disbelief is required, that’s true. Yet, to those willing to surrender themselves, there’s undeniable fun to seeing something totally unbelievable happen, only for the “magic” to be explained in even crazier flashbacks. In that sense, Fleischer carries the franchise’s traditions forward.
Now You See Me: Now You Don’t is significantly better than 2016’s redundant Now You See Me 2, but it doesn’t come close to dethroning the first. However, there’s enough here to keep the interest going. Two sets of likable characters and the signature absurdity of its magic often distract from a highly confused screenplay. There just may be another rabbit to pull out of this franchise’s surprisingly sizable hat.
Now You See Me: Now You Don’t hits theaters on November 14!
Release Date: November 14, 2025.
Directed by Ruben Fleischer.
Screenplay by Michael Lesslie, Paul Wernick, Rhett Reese, & Seth Grahame-Smith.
Story by Michael Lesslie & Eric Warren Singer.
Based on characters created by Boaz Yakin & Edward Ricourt.
Produced by Bobby Cohen & Alex Kurtzman.
Executive Producers: Ethan Smith & Chisom Ude.
Main Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Isla Fisher, Morgan Freeman, Justice Smith, Dominic Sessa, Ariana Greenblatt, Rosamund Pike, & Mark Ruffalo.
Cinematographer: George Richmond.
Composer: Brian Tyler.
Editor: Stacey Schroeder.
Production Companies: Summit Entertainment & Secret Hideout.
Distributor: Lionsgate.
Runtime: 112 minutes.
Rated PG-13.
