Lizzy Caplan On Lula’s Absence & Return In Now You See Me 3

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Be warned, this article contains spoilers for “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t.” Lizzy Caplan explains why her character, Lula May, temporarily left the Four Horsemen, her unexpected return in the latest film, and what the future holds for her in the series. Caplan first joined the franchise in “Now You See Me 2” when Isla Fisher (who plays Henley Reeves) was unable to film due to her pregnancy. This led to the introduction of Lula as a new member of the group.

I really loved watching Lula become a true part of the team in Now You See Me 2, and I was so happy to see her and Jack Wilder become a couple! It was a little confusing, though, because all the posters and trailers for the next movie only showed the original four Horsemen – and Lula wasn’t anywhere to be seen. It definitely made me wonder if she’d be back for another adventure.

Lula makes an appearance in Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, cleverly disguised as a confused elderly woman. She uses makeup and a fake arm that looks like it’s heavily bleeding to throw people off. This disguise helps her break the Horsemen and their partners out of jail, and she subsequently joins them in their new adventures.

Lula’s Now You See Me Return Explained By Lizzy Caplan

In a recent interview with ScreenRant, actress Isla Fisher (who plays Lula) explained why her character left the Horsemen, despite being more committed to their goals than Jack, who she feels has compromised his principles by performing magic at corporate events and on cruise ships. Fisher also shared that more of Lula’s history between the films was initially written, but she’s happy those scenes didn’t make the final cut. You can read her full comments below.

The story reveals she’s living in Paris, something we learn through another character, Jack, though we never actually see her. It initially seems like she’s simply disappeared. The film focuses on the Horsemen reconnecting after years apart, and we get glimpses into what each of them has been up to. However, none of them are content, and they haven’t lived up to the expectations set by previous movies. While we don’t learn much about Lula, it’s clear she still strongly believes in their original mission, more so than Jack, who has compromised and now leads team-building exercises for corporations – essentially performing magic tricks at company retreats. She’s frustrated that everyone has lost their drive, and especially disappointed in Jack. Originally, there were many scenes detailing their past, but the filmmakers decided it was more effective to show only fragments of it. Despite her disappointment, they eventually manage to rekindle their passion for their life of magical heists together.

Lula was upset after getting back together with the others, feeling left out and realizing the team wasn’t as close as it used to be. They’d lost their shared purpose. However, she’s confident this is just a phase, and she, Jack, and the rest of the group will soon rediscover their love for pulling off incredible heists.

Lizzy Caplan Reveals What Makes The Now You See Me Movies So Special

While Caplan is known for her work in shows like Freaks & Geeks and Party Down, she says the Now You See Me films are consistently among the projects fans mention most. She believes the franchise’s appeal lies in its ability to entertain audiences of all ages, offering a genuinely fun, creative, and classic moviegoing experience.

It seems like this movie appeals to kids, but adults often tell me they enjoy it too. I think the cast just has great chemistry – we genuinely like each other and have fun making the film, and that really shows on screen. People mention this connection quite a bit.

I really enjoy it! It’s a fresh idea – not based on existing comics – but features characters that feel familiar and classic. The actors clearly had fun, and the movie has a way of just pulling you in. The storylines are pretty involved, but you can either follow them closely or just enjoy the experience – both work great! It’s a total blast, a classic, feel-good movie, and we could use more of those these days that aren’t part of a big franchise.

Caplan also likes how the franchise clearly explains everything upfront, while subtly hinting at clues that only become apparent on a second viewing. The ending of Now You See Me: Now You Don’t follows this pattern by revealing that Charlie (Justice Smith) is actually part of the Vanderberg family.

Charlie is the one who brings the Horsemen back together and devises the illusions that reveal Veronika Vanderberg’s (Rosamund Pike) wrongdoings. While the truth is surprising, the story subtly foreshadows it throughout.

Now You See Me 3’s Cast & Shooting Locations Helped Create A “More Expansive” Sequel

As a big fan of the Now You See Me movies, I’ve always loved how grand and ambitious they are – the huge casts and the illusions happening all over the world. But it feels like the latest film really takes that to another level. I think a big part of that is seeing Isla Fisher and Woody Harrelson finally share the screen. In the earlier movies, they were both playing the only female member of the Horsemen separately, so having them work together adds a whole new dimension.

As a movie fan, I really appreciated that this film didn’t gloss over the fact that there are a lot of female magicians involved – it felt important, and the characters, like Lula, Henley, and young June McClure (played by Ariana Greenblatt), actually talked about it and had fun with it. Plus, it was a joy to see Fisher back on screen! I loved their work together in that other movie years ago, so it was great to see them reunite.

It’s funny how things worked out – there was space for both of us! We definitely acknowledge the order things happened between us when we talk about it in this latest episode, and we have a lot of fun joking about it – as we should!

This project is really exciting! I previously worked with Isla about 12 or 13 years ago on a film called Bachelorette, but we haven’t collaborated or even seen each other since. She did the first film before we worked on Bachelorette, and I did the second one afterward. It’s great that we’re finally working together again.

With the return of the original Horsemen, the cast grows to include new characters Charlie, June, and Bosco Leroy (played by Dominic Sessa), who become key players in the story. As Caplan describes them, these new additions are like “little tiny cute ponies.” Bringing in these younger actors is a strange experience, he explains, because of the age gap. While the younger cast members see the established actors as very old—similar to how the current cast reveres Morgan Freeman—the cast themselves still feel young at heart. Having actual children on set is a striking reminder of their own immaturity despite their age.

Filming in both Abu Dhabi and Budapest, alongside a talented cast, allowed the sequel to feel bigger and more epic than the previous films. Budapest was cleverly used to represent various international locations, enhancing the film’s worldwide adventure.

Lizzy Caplan Addresses Her Future With Now You See Me 4 & Magic

A fourth Now You See Me movie is officially in the works, confirmed in April. The previous film, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, laid the groundwork by introducing June, Charlie, and Dominic to a mysterious group called the Eye, where they joined forces with the Horsemen. During the film, Dylan Shrike (Mark Ruffalo) suggested they were already planning their next big trick.

Caplan has expressed her enthusiasm for returning for a fourth film. She’d like to see Lula continue to be funny and appreciates the strong connection and enjoyment the cast shares while working together – something she’s experienced in the first two movies.

I absolutely love making these movies and would do it again and again – honestly, I’d make a hundred of them without hesitation! It’s just the most enjoyable experience, and we laugh constantly – seriously, all day long, until our sides hurt. I could happily make these movies forever.

One of the best things about this is how well the whole cast works together. Even though we don’t spend a lot of time with each character individually, they’re all so well-developed that you immediately understand their motivations when they appear. That’s definitely true with Lula – I love how over-the-top and funny she is, and just thinking about her makes me smile.

For a trick in Now You See Me 2, Caplan received dove training, admitting it was difficult to stay calm and appear confident while handling the birds. However, for the third film, her character had a smaller part and simpler tricks, so she didn’t need any special training.

Unlike the others, I didn’t need to retrain at magic school this time because my illusions were relatively simple. They all had to brush up on their skills, which I would have needed to do as well since I hadn’t practiced between films. I had a quick dove trick to perform in the third movie, something I’d briefly done in the second. And honestly, no matter how much you rehearse with doves, they still fly right into your face! I’m not sure how anyone makes it look graceful, but that’s the sum total of my magic training – just trying to stay calm while doves are flapping around me.

Caplan shares her favorite magic trick scene from both films and describes the illusion she’d most like to be able to perform herself.

The second movie featured a complex illusion where we passed an object back and forth, which took a full week to film. This new movie has a similar set piece – a large cube we spent another week working in. It’s filled with both sand and water, and the speed with which the crew built it was incredible. It was a really enjoyable experience, and thankfully we all get along well – being stuck in a confined space for that long with people you don’t like would be awful! We balanced having fun with taking the work very seriously, and there was just a lot of water and sand involved.

It’s strange, but I’m actually fascinated by the shocking and disturbing things Lula does. I don’t enjoy watching it, but I have to admit it’s impressive – almost like a magic trick. It reminds me of performers like David Blaine, who do things that seem impossible and a little unsettling, like the glass-in-the-eye stuff. It’s definitely cool, even though it’s gross.

Now You See Me: Now You Don’t is playing in theaters.

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2025-11-15 22:42