Now You See Me: Now You Don’tis coming to theaters in 2025, but after nine years stuck in development hell, it could leave the franchise’s latest entry in a terrible position.Now You See Me 2was released back in 2016, and no sooner was the movie out and receiving rave reviews from fans, than a threequel was confirmed to be in the making. However, since then, the movie has had almost no developments for several years, which makes some sense considering how popular the ensemble cast of actors are.
Despite the busy schedules and a variety of other things getting in the way,Now You See Me 3is now finally due to be released in June 14, 2025. In addition, the film will see all the core cast returning,including Isla Fisher, who had a prominent role in the first movie and was absent for the sequel, and the woman who replaced her in the Four Horseman, Lizzy Caplan. While the returning cast is enough to get fans excited, and the addition of other big names is impressive, thetime between releases may be too much to overcome.
Now You See Me 3 May Have Been Releasing Too Late (Like Zombieland 2)
Nearly A Decade Between Movies Is Too Long
This isn’t the first time that a franchise has sparked an incredible response from fans, and had a sequel due to be released from the moment it first came out, only to be delayed for years. In fact, another franchise starringNow You See Me’sown Jesse Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson,Zombieland, had ahuge gap in between releases that killed interest in the franchise. The first movie was released in 2009, but the sequel didn’t see the light of day until a decade later in 2019.
Now You See Me: Now You Don’t - Release Date, Cast, Story, Trailer & Everything We Know
Now You See Me 3 was announced in 2016 and though news was silent for a long time, exciting updates are finally pouring in about the threequel.
Overall, the box office was just slightlylarger forZombieland: Double Tap(viaThe Numbers), but factoring in the rate of inflation, the difference was nominal. However, the production budget for the sequel was doubled, which meant the earnings overall were much less. Typically, asequel sees a slight increase in earnings when the franchise is at peak popularity. But with so many people losing interest in the intervening decade, there is no guarantee that these incredibly delayed sequels, likeZombieland 2, andNow You See Me 3, can live up to the earlier entries.
Zombieland: Double Tap Couldn’t Recapture The Magic Of Zombieland
Zombieland’s Magic Dwindled In The 10-Year Delay
On top of a loss of revenue and interest from the audience, thesesignificant gaps can result in the sequel feeling like it belongs to a totally different franchise. Yes, the same actors may return, and the story follows similar beats or genres, but this can feel odd when the people in the roles are now ten years older. ForZombieland: Double Tap, it was weird to see a world where these characters are still largely stuck in the same place, with no real developments despite years in a zombie wasteland. This kind of kills the stakes and tension.
On top of a loss of revenue and interest from the audience, these significant gaps can result in the sequel feeling like it belongs to a totally different franchise.
Momentum is an important factor for stories like this, and without it, it can feel like the magic of the original is lost.Zombieland 2was still funny, but it didn’t have the same charm and wit as the original. And with the actors at a totally different point in their lives, having played several other drastically different characters in between, it can be hard to return to a role that is so far in the past. Unfortunately, it’spossible thatNow You See Me 3could also suffer the same fate.
What Now You See Me 3 Needs To Make The 9-Year Wait Worth It
Now You See Me 3 Could Still Be A Hit
While there is no magic incantation, or secret formula forNow You See Me 3to reignite the spark of the first two movies, there are things that could make it a more worthwhile payoff. The world established in the first two entries blurred the lines of real magic and show magic, with characters who apparently had powers far beyond any typical performer. These movies created a lot of intrigue and mystery, but thesequel needs to deliver a satisfying payofffor these tricks.
I Can’t Wait For Now You See Me 3’s Magic Tricks After The $671 Million Franchise Made Me Question What’s Real
Ruben Fleischer’s Now You See Me 3 may contain more outlandish magic tricks, after previous films in the franchise made me question reality.
All the core cast returning is a big win, and it will help to connect these films together. But, with so much time having elapsed, the movie will need to appeal to new audiences who may have just been introduced to the series, and the fans who have been waiting for the better part of a decade for this sequel.Now You See Me 3can finally unravel the mysteriesfrom earlier movies, and give the Four Horseman magicians, now five, a proper send-off that lays the franchise to rest.
Now You See Me: Now You Don’t
Cast
Now You See Me: Now You Don’t is a 2025 film featuring the return of The Four Horsemen alongside a new generation of illusionists. Together, they deliver remarkable and intricate magic performances filled with unexpected twists that push the boundaries of illusion on screen.
