Lionsgate is aiming to make audiences see once again, throwing a third installment of the heist-thriller franchise Now You See Me into development.
The company has hired Eric Warren Singer, who was nominated for an Oscar for his work on American Hustle, to pen the latest sequel.
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The previous movies, about misfit illusionists and escape artists, starred Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco and Morgan Freeman. While no deals have been made, the goal is to reunite the actors.
Singer’s fresh take will capture the fun, magic and spirit of the 2013 original, introducing new characters into the world while also creating opportunities for the original cast to reprise their roles, Lionsgate said Tuesday in making the announcement.
Bobby Cohen and Alex Kurtzman of Secret Hideout are teaming again to produce.
Jonathan Bayme and his company Theory 11 will serve as a magic consultant to the filmmakers.
"Eric has always been fascinated with the fine art of deception and illusion in all of its forms and he came to us with a great story that takes the mythology of Now You See Me and pushes The Four Horsemen to a whole new level with our key returning cast and new characters," said Lionsgate motion picture group president Nathan Kahane. "The Now You See Me franchise has been built on keeping the audience surprised and guessing. Any great magician knows, you can’t keep doing the same tricks. And Eric and his team of illusionists have something special up their sleeve for this new film."
The two previous pics focused on four stage magicians known as The Four Horsemen, played by Eisenberg, Harrelson, Fisher and Franco, who commit heists during their act, stymieing their various pursuers. The 2013 movie, directed by Louis Leterrier, and the 2016 follow-up, helmed by Jon M. Chu, conjured up $687 million worldwide collectively.
Execs Meredith Wieck and Aaron Edmonds will oversee the project for Lionsgate.
Singer was a writer on the upcoming Top Gun: Maverick and co-wrote the 2017 firefighter drama Only the Brave. He is repped by Gochman Law Group.
