It has become quite common for successful movies in various genres to have sequels and eventually develop small and sometimes big franchises. Movies that can lead to franchises, or simply continue one, are a safer bet than a story that can only work as a standalone. This cinematic evolution can be partly attributed to how television series became so popular, and the idea of following already-known characters in various adventures appeals a lot to the public. A great example of this is the detective movie Knives Out; the sequel Glass Onion will be released in December, and the third installment is currently being developed. This is also the case of the fun and star-studded movie about magical con artists, Now You See Me.
The first Now You See Me was released back in 2013. The story is about a group of magicians/illusionists on a wild adventure to entertain and, at the same time, steal money from various banks. The film obtained $351.7 million at the box office (or roughly $450 million when adjusted for inflation) on a $75 million budget. This paved the path for more movies to be made. Now You See Me 2 was similarly successful, with a $335 million box office and an estimated $90 million budget. Since the release of the second movie back in 2016, fans are awaiting a continuation that appears to be finally coming to life: the director, Ruben Fleischer, was announced a few months ago.
Now You See Me 3 is currently in pre-production. Here is why the director is a great choice to continue this franchise that is so different from everything else.
Ruben Fleischer's Filmography
Ruben Fleischer is an American filmmaker who has been involved in several projects as director and executive producer. Some of his biggest successes include the now-considered classic in the horror and comedy genre mix Zombieland as well as its sequel, and worked with Jesse Eisenberg again for 30 Minutes or Less. He also directed an adaptation of an action video game with Tom Holland as the protagonist, Uncharted. Fleischer was also involved in both Venom movies, the first as the director and the second as an executive producer. He directed the drama and action story about gangsters, Gangster Squad.
Fleischer has not been working solely for the big screen: he has also been involved with some television shows in the last couple of years. He was an executive producer and even directed episodes of the comedy series Superstore. He was also a producer for the dramedy show The Bold Type. The series unfortunately was canceled after five seasons. There is a clear love from the director for either fast-paced, action-orientated films with comic strains, or straight-up comedies. However, the filmmaker has also dabbled into more character-oriented stories.
The Now You See Me Movies
It's hard to place both Now You See Me movies in a box, since it combines action-adventure with heist movies, comedy, and magic. There is no doubt action in the movies, which have some very inventive and clever action sequences, and there's a variety of fun, comic moments, but they're mostly rooted in the characters. There is also an emotional core to the ensemble, which would need to be well constructed in Now You See Me 3 so that the movie feels like the other ones in the franchise. So, to direct one of these, films the director has to be able to intelligently balance these different elements, something he has undoubtedly proven.
Fleischer has been a part of productions in different genres, and looking at his body of work alone, it appears that he has what it takes to direct the third and much-awaited film of this universe. Fleischer has directed action scenes in various movies, from Zombieland to 30 Minutes or Less, and he has done a great job with incorporating CGI, as in Venom and the disliked but visually appealing film Uncharted. He has also dealt with more emotional, character-driven stories, such as the series The Bold Type and the film Gangster Squad. Comedy has obviously been a strength in Fleischer's career as much as it has been in the Now You See Me movies, as proven with his producing and directing work on Superstore and Zombieland.
Another element that helps the director is that he has already worked with two actors that are a part of the ensemble cast: Jesse Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson, from the Zombieland movies. The director also said that he has been a lifelong fan of heist movies and magic alike, increasing fans' expectations for his take on this delightful ensemble cast and its unusual characteristics.
Now You See Me 3
Now You See Me 3 took a long time to start the pre-production phase. The delay happened despite Lionsgate announcing back in 2015 that the movie was in early planning, even before the release of Now You See Me 2. There were a lot of things that delayed its production, and one of them was the Covid-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, since that statement seven years ago, there had been no official announcement regarding the movie and if it was even happening. That is, until the director was announced back in September this year.
There has been a lot of support for the director, including Lionsgate Motion Picture Group President Nathan Kahane. The president said that, “Ruben has proven time and again that he has a special talent with character-driven blockbuster entertainment. He delivers big excitement while ultimately keeping the focus on the characters audiences care about. We feel like we’ve assembled a dream team to get this movie off the ground. For everyone we’ve kept in suspense, the wait is almost over.”
All the cards are in Fleischer's favor, and the audience will have to wait until 2023, when the movie is estimated to be released, to see if he is able to pull off this magic trick.