I'm not sure how many people assumed NOW YOU SEE ME was going to be a major success when it came out in 2013, but that charming under-the-radar thriller about a band of magicians called The Horsemen who steal from the rich and give to the poor certainly made enough of an impression to conjure up a sequel. On June 10th, Lionsgate unveils NOW YOU SEE ME 2, which reunites most of the first film's gang – with a few new additions – for a fresh adventure focusing on the clever illusionists.
Woody Harrelson and Mark Ruffalo return to the NYSM world as Merritt McKinney and Dylan Rhodes, respectively; in the first film, Ruffalo's character wasn't exactly a part of the team until it was revealed he was the one pulling their strings the entire time. Now that he's with the gang, has the dynamic changed? And where does the team go from here? I can't say we got to the bottom of those pressing questions, as this interview is about as silly as one can get with two Oscar nominees. And I'm definitely not complaining.
Not to be outdone in the silliness department are Lizzy Caplan and Dave Franco. Caplan plays newcomer Lula, an enthusiastic street magician whose "tricks" are a little unorthodox, while Franco returns as likable original member Jack Wilder, who's thought dead as the film begins. We talked about Caplan's excitement at joining the group, whether or not Franco was able to teach her a thing or two, how much of the "magic" on screen is real and who'd make for the best illusionist in real life. And urinating cards (don't ask, just watch).
Last but certainly not least we have Keith Barry who, as an actual illusionist and mentalist, acts as an advisor on the NOW YOU SEE ME films. Keith is undeniably one of the most talented and impressive illusionists working today, and he proves that in the below video as he performs a very cool card trick with me. (In turn, he even made me into a mentalist quite briefly.) Before we get to the trick, I ask Keith his thoughts on people like Morgan Freeman's character in NYSM, who make it their mission to debunk his profession, as well as how long it usually takes him to construct an illusion.