NEED TO KNOW
The third Now You See Me film has several new tricks up its sleeve: Justice Smith, Dominic Sessa and Ariana Greenblatt.
In Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, the trio join forces with returning stars Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher, Woody Harrelson and Dave Franco, who first played their magician roles in the 2013 original.
Fisher, who sat out the 2016 sequel, says it was “such a joy” to reprise her role as Henley Reeves.
“Coming back felt a little like a family reunion — maybe a dysfunctional family,” Fisher, 49, tells PEOPLE. “We already had this incredible shorthand, so slipping back into that dynamic was easy and really fun.”
“But at the same time,” she adds, “enough years have passed that it felt fresh and new, almost like rediscovering the magic all over again. I missed my mates and love hanging out with them.”
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In the third installment, directed by Ruben Fleischer (Venom, Zombieland), the Four Horsemen “unite with a new generation of illusionists for their most global, high-stakes magical adventure yet,” teases a synopsis. That involves a villainous diamond heiress, played by Rosamund Pike, plus the return of Morgan Freeman’s Thaddeus.
“The two generations of magicians must overcome their differences to try and defeat their cunning and dangerous adversary,” the synopsis adds.
Smith, 30, describes his Charlie as “the ultimate magic fanatic, but he’s better behind-the-scenes than in the spotlight.” The Jurassic World Dominion star explains, “His expertise lies in the technical aspect of magic, designing the New Horsemen’s tricks.”
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The Holdovers breakout Sessa, 22, says his character Bosco is the “risk taker” of the bunch. And Greenblatt, 18, says her June is the “underestimated one — but it works out in her favor.”
“She’s not attention-seeking or a geek in any way,” the Barbie star says, “but she knows what she’s doing and is always a few steps ahead. June’s a fighter and uses her height to her advantage to be sneaky and nimble.”
Eisenberg, who plays Daniel Atlas, says the three new additions are “great for the movie” because “they’re played by three wonderful actors.”
“I love the dynamic with the new Horseman,” says Eisenberg, 42. “My character is already kind of a condescending guy, and teaching these young kids brought out an extra level of condescension. They were so great to play off of — they’re funny and very quick. They certainly knew how to fight back.”
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Fisher echoes that it was “so exciting” seeing Greenblatt, Sessa and Smith in action.
“They bring this great energy — they shake things up in the best possible way,” she says. “Watching them step into the world of the Horsemen while also adding their own style and humor and quirky charm made the whole experience feel bigger and more surprising.”
She adds, “I kind of developed a deep and different relationship with each one. I truly love them.”
Katalin Vermes/Lionsgate
How’d the newbies form their onscreen bond outside of camera time? They “did a lot of escape rooms together in Budapest,” says Sessa.
Adds Smith, “I love Ariana and Dominic to death. We would hang out almost every night, watch scary movies, eat mac and cheese, and do every escape room in Budapest we could find. We found a natural rhythm with each other right off the bat.”
“We actually bonded quite quickly,” recalls Greenblatt. “We did loads of escape rooms together and would go on adventures in the city quite a lot. Dom and I ended up being next-door neighbors during production. There were quite a few nights where we were eating mac and cheese and watching Netflix together.”
Sharing space with Eisenberg, Fisher, Harrelson, 64, and Franco, 40, was a wild experience for them as well.
Katalin Vermes
“They really didn’t have to be as welcoming as they were,” Smith says of the franchise’s O.G. stars. “They were all constantly checking in on us, teaching us their inside jokes and games, and making sure we felt like we belonged. It was one of my favorite sets to be on.”
Says Sessa, “It felt very surreal. I was a big fan of the first two movies when I was younger. It felt like jumping into one of your favorite movies and meeting the characters in real life.”
Greenblatt counts it as “one of the best experiences ever,” adding, “I was surprised that a group of people could be so nice and welcoming. They taught me the silly games they played during their previous productions together, we had beautiful dinners and endless laughs. I’m very grateful for all of them.”
Fisher praises her young costars: “They’re not just talented, they each bring something unique. They have great chemistry and they are cool. They’ve made the franchise feel fresh again, while still honoring what audiences love about it.”
Adds Eisenberg, “Justice, Ariana and Dom have their own distinct personalities and characterizations, but — crucially — they know how to be part of an ensemble. It was an absolute joy to work with them on this movie, and I certainly hope there are more to come.”
Now You See Me: Now You Don’t is in theaters Nov. 14.
