Now You See Me sequel has next level illusions

Jesse Eisenberg claims Now You See Me 2 elevates the limits of stage illusion to new heights.

Following the box office success of 2013 caper thriller Now You See Me, the Four Horsemen return for a second mind-bending adventure. The illusionists - played by Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco and Lizzy Caplan (who replaced Isla Fisher due to her pregnancy) - depicts their return one year after they outwitted the FBI and won over the public’s adulation with their magical spectacles.

"As in the first film, we've taken an illusion that can be done in the real world on a smaller scale and then pushed it. Like really pushed it," Jesse told Empire magazine. "We're making the rain go crazy - up, sideways even levitating. It should make for a great set-piece - huge, cutting-edge and super inventive."

The film magic consultant Keith Barry - who designed all of the sequel's illusions to work in-scene without CGI, added that Lizzy will "produce a flock of doves in one take, for real".

The new film, directed by Jon M. Chu, also sees Mark Ruffalo, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman return to their roles, while Daniel Radcliffe and Jay Chou join the cast as new characters.

While there is no news on what Mark's FBI agent character Dylan Rhodes is up to in the second film, it has been confirmed that Harry Potter star Daniel, 26, has been cast as Michael's son, and is hell-bent on avenging the Horsemen for landing Michael's character Arthur Tressler in prison.

"Daniel adored the first movie, but told us he'd join on one condition," joked producer Bobby Cohen, referring to the actor’s Harry Potter role. "Please, whatever you do, don't put a wand in my hand..."

Now You See Me 2 is set to hit theatres in June (16).