Ruben Fleischer Reveals the Real Magic Behind Now You See Me: Now You Don’t

When Ruben Fleischer stepped in to direct the latest instalment of the Now You See Me series, he set out with a clear goal: to bring the magic back down to earth. The earlier films had copped a bit of flak for relying too much on computer effects, making the Horsemen look more like they belonged in a fantasy flick than a heist caper. Fleischer was determined to change that, and he didn’t muck about.

Making Illusions Feel Real

In a chat with FandomWire, Fleischer explained how he wanted the opening scene’s holograms to walk a fine line. They needed to be convincing enough to fool the characters in the story, but still give the audience a sense that something wasn’t quite right.

I wanted it to be a little bit uncertain to the audience what they were watching. We were working on the presumption that the kids would have had access to footage of the Horsemen from the time of the previous movies, which was ten years ago. We performed a digital de-aging pass, removing wrinkles to make them appear ten years younger.

He pointed out that part of the oddness comes from seeing Woody Harrelson digitally made to look younger, and the fact that the projections don’t move from their spots.

Another thing you may not notice gives it a peculiar quality. We removed all their shadows. Dominic Sessa has a shadow when he is on stage, but because the Horsemen are projections, we digitally painted out all their shadows. It just makes it feel a little weird because feet on the ground usually connect people to the place.

Keeping the Tricks Practical

Fleischer was keen to make sure the magic in this film felt like something you could actually see on stage, not just on a computer screen. He admitted he’d enjoyed the earlier films, but thought they’d gone a bit overboard with the effects.

I even watched a YouTube video titled [“were the magicians in Now You See Me wizards or what?”] while preparing for this movie. When I saw that, I realised we had to right the ship a little bit.

To keep things grounded, he brought in a team of magic consultants and made sure every trick was doable in real life.

I wanted to ensure that everyone knows the magic is real, practical, and in-camera. We had a magic consultant team, and I made sure that for every trick we asked if it was real and achievable. Even that helicopter trick is a real trick that people do onstage. Everything was based on real premises, and we did as much in-camera as possible.

Introducing New Faces

The film also brings in some fresh talent, with Dominic Sessa, Ariana Greenblatt, and Justice Smith joining the cast. Fleischer spoke about the challenge of making sure these new characters stood out alongside the returning favourites.

We reshot their intro scenes. Originally, the scene where they are walking on the street and the scene in the warehouse were scenes at a carnival. It just didn’t introduce them in the most dynamic way. You didn’t have a sense of their relationship with one another.

He said that after showing early cuts to test audiences, it was clear the new characters needed a better introduction.

We had to set them up on the right foot. We reshot their intro scenes, and I think it really elevated them, so that you are invested in them on this journey. We met them before we met Atlas and the rest of the cast, so we had to be particularly intentional with the scripts to make them the best they could be.

Looking Ahead for the Franchise

With the new additions, Fleischer reckons the series is set up for all sorts of possibilities. He’s already confirmed to return for the next film and hinted that there’s more in store for fans.

I watched the film as a fan of the franchise, and every decision I made was guided by what I wanted to see after ten years. I embraced all that I loved about it, including the banter, the magic, and the compelling villains. With the introduction of these three new characters, it really feels like we can now go in any direction. We have eight amazing magicians to pull from as an ensemble to conceive of adventures. I can’t really say much, but just know that if you loved this last movie, expect more, better, bigger, and even more awesome.

The film is now available to watch at home from Lionsgate.