Now You See Me, Now You See Me 2: Cast and Plot of the Thriller Films Now on Netflix - Netflix Tudum

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    Now You See Me, Now You See Me 2: Now You Can See Both on Netflix

    The heist films follow a group of illusionists who use magic to thwart the bad guys — big time.

    By Ingrid Ostby
    June 13, 2025

The films Now You See Me and Now You See Me 2 are streaming on Netflix ahead of the release of the third film in the franchise, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t this fall. Starring Oscar nominees Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, and Woody Harrelson, the ensemble films follow a crew of magicians who fight against corruption via their impressive sleight of hand skills. In the first film, the troupe stages robberies during their performances, then redistribute the loot to their audiences. The second film follows them across the world as they take on a dangerous tech magnate.

Now You See Me was directed by Louis Leterrier (Fast X) and written by Ed Solomon (Men in Black), Boaz Yakin (The Harder They Fall), and Edward Ricourt (Wayward Pines). Now You See Me 2 was directed by Jon M. Chu (Wicked) and written by Solomon and Peter Chiarelli (Crazy Rich Asians). Here’s everything you need to know about the heist movies. 

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Where can I watch Now You See Me and Now You See Me 2?

Both films — Now You See Me and Now You See Me 2 — are available to stream on Netflix.

Mark Ruffalo, Mélanie Laurent, and Jesse Eisenberg sit at a table in an interrogation room in the film ‘Now You See Me.’

Who’s in the cast of Now You See Me?

  • Jesse Eisenberg (A Real Pain) as J. Daniel Atlas
  • Mark Ruffalo (Poor Things) as Dylan Rhodes
  • Woody Harrelson (True Detective) as Merritt McKinney
  • Isla Fisher (Nocturnal Animals) as Henley Reeves
  • Dave Franco (The Studio) as Jack Wilder
  • Mélanie Laurent (Inglourious Basterds) as Alma Dray
  • Morgan Freeman (Lioness) as Thaddeus Bradley
  • Michael Caine (The Dark Knight Rises) as Arthur Tressler
  • Michael Kelly (The Penguin) as Agent Fuller
  • Common (Silo) as Evans

Who’s in the cast of Now You See Me 2?

Eisenberg, Ruffalo, Harrelson, Franco, Freeman, and Caine return for the second installment. They’re joined by: 

  • Daniel Radcliffe (Miracle Workers) as Walter Mabry
  • Lizzy Caplan (Zero Day) as Lula
  • Jay Chou (The Green Hornet) as Li
  • Sanaa Lathan (American Assassin) as Deputy Director Natalie Austin
Woody Harrelson holds his hands up, with an ace playing card in one hand, in the film ‘Now You See Me 2.’

What happens in Now You See Me?

A troupe of illusionists known as the Four Horsemen — Daniel (Eisenberg), Merritt (Harrelson), Henley (Fisher), and Jack (Franco) — are brought together by a mysterious benefactor to perform a series of magic shows whose sole purpose is to pull heists on corrupt execs and redistribute what they plunder to their rapt audiences. Aided by their sponsor, insurance tycoon Arthur (Caine), the Four Horseman’s feats not only capture the FBI’s attention — namely, agent Dylan Rhodes (Ruffalo), and Interpol detective Alma (Laurent) — but that of Thaddeus (Freeman), a magician turned magic debunker who’s desperate to expose them.

What happens in Now You See Me 2?

After a year in hiding to evade the FBI, the Four Horsemen return — this time with a new fourth member, Lula (Caplan). They plan to expose a corrupt tech CEO (Ben Lamb), but things go awry when they’re diverted to Macau, where they’re manipulated by tech prodigy Walter (Radcliffe) into stealing a powerful data-decryption device. The Four Horsemen, with the help of their handler, FBI agent Dylan, must outwit Mabry and find out who’s really behind his high-tech scheme. 

Isla Fisher stands with a flurry of money whirling around her in a promotional image for the film ‘Now You See Me.’

Is Now You See Me based on a book?

No. Both films in the franchise are original screenplays. 

Where do the Now You See Me films take place?

The first film takes place in New York City, Las Vegas, and New Orleans. The second film is set in New York City, Macau, and London.

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