Daniel Radcliffe revelled in playing the villain

Daniel Radcliffe revelled in playing the bad guy in new movie Now You See Me 2.

In the sequel to the 2013 sleeper hit, the British actor plays Walter Mabry, a magic enthusiast and maniacal tech genius who lures The Four Horsemen (Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, and Lizzie Caplan, stepping in for Isla Fisher) to Asia and forces them to work their magic in another high-stakes heist.

Speaking of the role, Daniel says he was excited not only to play his first traditional movie villain, but also for the opportunity to work with a range of veteran Hollywood actors including Mark Ruffalo, Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine. “It is definitely something I have not played before and that was one of the most attractive things about it,” he told Total Film magazine. “I have always wanted to play a good fun, supporting character in a great ensemble movie.”

The star, who made his name as the lead actor in the Harry Potter franchise, describes Walter as obsessive and slightly crazed, with a desire to find out where the people are in the world that have greater capabilities than himself and then co-opt them for his own use.

Accordingly, Daniel says that a sense of tension is created in film, as the audience is constantly kept on the edge of their seats while they try and figure out who really has the upper hand.

Unlike the other cast members, Daniel didn’t have to become proficient in doing magic tricks or illusions for his part, though he enjoyed watching professionals share their knowledge. But as some scenes were filmed Macau, a casino mecca which borders China’s mainland, the 26-year-old did take up the opportunity to dabble in some gambling.

“The game over there is baccarat. That is what everyone plays and God, did I get into baccarat,” he smiled.

Now You See Me 2 hits U.K. theatres on 4 July (16).