As the “Now You See Me” franchise enters its next chapter, it brings together two performers whose careers sit at opposite ends of Hollywood’s spectrum yet complement each other with striking ease. 

Morgan Freeman, the industry’s enduring moral compass and the unmistakable voice behind Thaddeus Bradley, returns as the franchise’s anchor. Opposite him stands Justice Smith, a quietly commanding presence whose work across film and television has established him as one of this generation’s most thoughtful young actors. 

Their dynamic gives this installment a deeper resonance—one that subtly echoes a passing of the torch from the franchise’s established legacy to its bold new future. The fourth film brings back the original Four Horsemen with Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, and Isla Fisher returning, while introducing a new cohort of illusionists led by Smith, Dominic Sessa, and Ariana Greenblatt. 

This new ensemble steps into the global high-stakes mission to expose Veronika Vanderberg, a diamond empire heiress whose corrupt dealings stretch from arms trafficking to powerful underground networks. 

Guided by the seasoned illusion expert portrayed by Freeman, the original crew and their successors must merge their distinct approaches, skill sets, and philosophies to take down a foe who anticipates every move. Through that collaboration, the film’s energy shifts, elevating the story into an exploration of mentorship, evolution, and the magic of reinvention.

And the future is already unfolding. Even as the fourth installment expands the universe with its most ambitious illusions and sharpest twists to date, the series is already developing a fifth film, cementing its place as one of Hollywood’s most enduring modern franchises.

The mission this go around is to expose the corruption of diamond heiress Veronika Vanderberg, which unfolds across continents and criminal networks, pushing the boundaries of what the franchise has attempted before. 

Hovering between both generations is Freeman’s illusion master, a man who has spent years manipulating the game yet somehow remains its guiding force. 

“The moral compass my character, Thaddeus, can give to the Four Horsemen, is if you’re going to steal, make sure to do it and expose and spread the wealth all over,” the screen legend tells BET.com. 

Director Ruben Fleischer says watching the newcomers step into this universe was a thrill in itself. He shares that Smith “reflects such intelligence” and brings “truth in everything he does,” adding that acting alongside a screen icon demands the younger cast arrive fully present. 

“They have to bring their A-game,” he said with a grin, “and they brought it.”

For the “Dungeons and Dragons” star anchoring the franchise’s new direction, the experience became both a creative challenge and a personal reckoning. 

Smith admits he’s working to stop apologizing for who he is.  “I do it all the time,” he laughs, but this chapter inspired a more grounded confidence. When imagining which injustice he’d erase with magic, the newcomer jokes about making “a certain presidency disappear.” And when dreaming of whose life he’d borrow for a day, the performer gravitates toward brilliance: James Baldwin for insight, Beyoncé for something closer to divinity. 

Seeing her in concert, he recalls, felt like witnessing “a God descending from the heavens.”

What made stepping into a major franchise less daunting for Smith was the warmth of the original ensemble. On the first day of filming, [Jesse] Eisenberg invited the new illusionist to his trailer for lunch, a gesture the young actor says immediately grounded him. 

The cast didn’t require the 30-year-old to fight for space or overextend himself to be seen; instead, they stepped aside to make room for his moment.

Head to theaters to see “Now You See Me, Now You Don’t” now.