The latest chapter, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, opened over the weekend and immediately seized the number-one spot at the Nigerian box office, raking in a solid ₦34.2 million between November 14 to November 16.
A Franchise Reawakened
Directed by Ruben Fleischer, this third outing leans into everything fans have come to expect: glossy heists, impossible illusions executed with poker-faced confidence, and a plotline that delights in outsmarting the audience.
Most of the original cast reunites: Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Isla Fisher, Morgan Freeman, and Lizzy Caplan, forming a nostalgic backbone.
But the film also ushers in a younger cohort: Justice Smith, Dominic Sessa, Ariana Greenblatt, and Rosamund Pike. Their presence signals an intentional shift, knitting two generations of performers into the franchise’s expanding mythos.
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The Story
The story fast-forwards twelve years after the events of the first film. A new trio of illusionists, Charlie, Bosco Leroy, and June McClure, become viral sensations when they orchestrate a counterfeit Four Horsemen show dripping in futuristic trickery: deepfakes, holograms, and digital illusions that blur the line between magic and tech.
In classic Horsemen fashion, their “performance” ends with a moral twist. They dismantle a shady cryptocurrency mogul’s empire and redistribute his wealth to the unsuspecting crowd.
Global Box Office
Internationally, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t is proving it was worth the wait. It debuted atop the global box office with $75.5 million, supported by $54.2 million from 64 territories.
China delivered the strongest turnout with $19.2 million, followed by strong showings in South Korea, France, and the U.K. Considering its $90-million production budget, the film’s early numbers hint at a franchise still capable of drawing large, curious crowds.
Nigerian audiences have always embraced stylish heists, ensemble casts, and films that wrap social commentary inside adrenaline-pumping spectacle.
This third chapter delivers all three. The mix of old favourites, fresh faces, and a high-stakes global heist likely contributed to its commanding debut.
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