Now You See Me 3 enlists San Andreas 2 writers

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Listen, I know you guys are clamoring for the third entry in the successful NOW YOU SEE ME franchise, aptly titled NOW YOU SEE ME 3, for rhyming purposes. However, you will have to wait patiently like everyone else for this much anticipated film. That being said, and seeing as you’ve been good so far, you deserve a treat. Oh yes…a treat indeed.

Deadline is reporting that writers Neil Widener & Gavin James have been hired to pen the script for the third outing in the magic-themed heist series. We reported earlier this year that director Jon M. Chu had already been slated to return for the third outing, and now we can assume the ensemble cast featuring Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Lizzy Caplan and more will also return.

The first movie surprised with a $117 million domestic haul ($351 million global), but the sequel suffered a big dip finishing domestically at $65 million (though made up for it with a $334 million global total). Given the smaller numbers the studio will have to pull a few extra rabbits out of their hat to make a third outing worthwhile. I will accept any and all high fives for that last sentence.

Widener and James may not be big names yet, but the two have gotten a lot of work recently, writing the script for BATTLE OF ALCATRAZ at Paramount, and being hired to pen SAN ANDREAS 2 for New Line. Rumor is for the latter the plot surrounds the San Andreas Fault's evil twin brother who is hunting down Dwayne Johnson in hopes of gaining revenge by leveling Cleveland. It promises to be…okay.

I was unimpressed with the first NOW YOU SEE ME and never got around to seeing the second, so I’m not the best person to talk about the quality of the series. But from an indifferent party’s standpoint, they seem like 100 minute distractions that offer teens something to see when R-rated movies dominate the box office. If people like the movies that’s great, but part of me thinks this is just another David Blaine stunt. We get it, dude, you’re extreme. Just leave Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine alone!

NOW YOU SEE ME 3 could see a potential 2018 release.