Ruben Fleischer has been hired by Lionsgate to helm Now You See Me 3, marking the third episode in the franchise. He’ll also be in charge of having Seth Grahame-Smith draught the newest version of the screenplay (The Lego Batman Movie). Fleischer has been an integral part of the production of several critically acclaimed films, including Zombieland (2009) and its follow-up, Zombieland: Double Tap. He most recently directed Uncharted, starring Tom Holland, which earned $400 million worldwide.
In addition to directing Venom (which made $850 million worldwide), he served as an executive producer for Venom: Let There Be Carnage. While Fleischer is most known for his work in movies (both as a filmmaker and a producer), he has also directed episodes of television (such as NBC’s Superstore). His diverse body of work makes him a great pick for Now You See Me 3. The first Now You See Me film came out in 2013, and it told the story of a group of skilled illusionists known as The Four Horseman, whose impressive shows send the FBI and Interpol on a chase to not only discover how the illusions are done, but also to stop the group before they cause any more chaos.
In the sequel, titled “Now You See Me 2,” the team gets back together (with a new member replacing the one who left) to expose the unscrupulous actions of a prominent technological genius named Walter Mabry (Daniel Radcliffe). The gang was coerced into producing and presenting one of their grandest illusions ever, but it was not their decision. Cast members shared across the two films include Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, and Jesse Eisenberg. Due to scheduling conflicts, Isla Fisher was unable to reprise her role as a Horseman in the sequel, therefore Lizzy Caplan was cast in the role instead. The original screenplay was penned by Ed Solomon, Boaz Yakin, and Edward Ricourt, and Louis Leterrier helmed the film.
Peter Chiarelli wrote the screenplay for the sequel, and Jon M. Chu directed it. Solomon also returned. Fleischer addressed Deadline about the next film, saying: As a lifelong fan of heist movies, Eric says, “The possibilities are endless when the thieves are magicians. The Secret Hideout’s Alex Kurtzman and Bobby Cohen have signed on to produce the third film. Lionsgate’s Meredith Wieck and Chisom Ude are in charge of it. No one from the original cast has been confirmed to return at this time.
There is currently no set date for the release of Now You See Me 3.