Prepare to be amazed! 'Now You See Me: Now You Don't' pulls off a stunning magic trick in its latest installment, and we've got the exclusive scoop on how they did it. This film, the third in the series, has hit theaters, and one scene, in particular, has everyone talking: the dazzling one-take sequence where the original Four Horsemen — J. Daniel Atlas, Henley Reeves, Merritt McKinney, and Jack Wilder — along with the new Gen-Z members, Charlie, Bosco, and June, showcase their card trick skills. But how did they pull it off? And what secrets lie behind the magic? Let's dive in!
Picture this: the crew is in a remote, seemingly abandoned French chateau, perhaps owned by their former mentor, Thaddeus Bradley. Director Ruben Fleischer masterfully orchestrates a single, unbroken shot of each magician performing their trick. We spoke with Fleischer, and he revealed the secrets behind this impressive feat.
Fleischer admitted that shooting practical magic tricks in a single take was challenging. He explained, "Definitely harder." He also mentioned that while they used some visual effects to assist the actors, who aren't trained magicians, the core of the magic was achieved practically. "The cool thing about that is that if they had been real magicians who had trained their entire life, it could have been done all without any use of visual effects." He added that the only visual effects were to remove some elements.
But here's where it gets controversial... The scene involves the gang teaming up to steal the Heart Diamond from a wealthy CEO. They solve puzzles to reveal Thaddeus, and then, using playing cards and the diamond itself, they put on an impromptu magic show. Fleischer shared that the effects were almost entirely practical. For instance, when Bosco spins a playing card, "some guy off camera with a fishing line" helped with the effect. When the card is passed to Henley, it disconnects, and she performs her part of the trick. Fleischer explained, "So it was a ton of moving pieces behind camera of different people coming in and assisting. And in fact, once she folds it, then she makes the diamond appear. Somebody then lifted the diamond into her hand just below the line of the camera and then it magically appears. So there's all kinds of things happening behind the camera, but it was all practical. It wasn't visual effects."
This impromptu magic show is a major highlight of Fleischer's film.
'Now You See Me: Now You Don't' is a fun ride, especially with the original cast back in action. The sequence, including Fleischer's one-take shot, is arguably the film's high point, even if the script occasionally falters. The team navigates the chateau, solving puzzles, from the front door to a bookcase that acts as a secret passage. It's a testament to their teamwork, relying on good old-fashioned practical magic.
What do you think? Did you find the practical effects more impressive than CGI? Let us know in the comments if you agree or disagree!
