15 Best Movies Like Now You See Me

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If we’re to believe a certain delightfully deceptive Christopher Nolan film, the third act of any magic show is always the most shocking — which should have us all excited for the imminent release of Lionsgate’s “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t.” The third entry in the high-grossing “Now You See Me” series (which began in 2013 and continued with a sequel in 2016), the 2025 film is set to return viewers to this arrestingly glamorous world of vigilante illusionists.

For the uninitiated, the series follows the escapades of the Four Horsemen (Jesse Eisenberg, Dave Franco, Isla Fisher, and Woody Harrelson), a group of stage magicians who once managed to “magically” transport millions of stolen dollars from a secure bank vault in Paris to their audience in Las Vegas. They then began using their unique skills of misdirection, deception, manipulation, and stagecraft to execute elaborate heists against the wealthy for the benefit of common people.

Whether you’ve recently caught up on the previous two films and are eagerly awaiting the release of the third, or have just managed to complete all three acts and are looking for more magic in your life, /Film has the perfect trick up our sleeve. From grounded, magical thrillers to elevated, blockbuster heist films, we found the 15 best movies like “Now You See Me” for your next watch.

If you’re willing to trade in magic for math, “21” is just as tense and exhilarating (and uses at least as many playing cards) as “Now You See Me.” The film takes inspiration from true events and the fiction novel “Bringing Down the House” by Ben Mezrich. It follows Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess), a college student already struggling to pay for a mathematics degree from MIT by working retail, whose dreams of attending Harvard Medical School are crushed by an insurmountably expensive $300,000 tuition fee.

His only hope to salvage his future without a lifetime of debt comes in the form of professor Micky Rosa (Kevin Spacey), who recognizes that Ben’s exceptional mind for mathematics could be an asset to the MIT Blackjack Team. Both in real life and in the film, this group of students practice and master the immensely complicated science of card counting (essentially a frowned-upon cheat code for blackjack), using it to win hundreds of thousands of dollars from actual casinos. “21” isn’t a traditional heist film by any means, but it has all the necessary elements to deliver the same, satisfying emotional experience.

Putting aside all our opinions on the current state of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there’s no denying that “Ant-Man” is one of the best heightened heist movies out there. The 2015 film was released just as the MCU was cresting toward its peak — beyond the stumbling “Avengers: Age of Ultron” and en route directly to “Captain America: Civil War,” the latter cementing Marvel Studios as an unstoppable hit-maker for the next several years.

For those who haven’t yet seen “Ant-Man,” it’s well worth giving a chance even if you aren’t usually a fan of Marvel movies. Paul Rudd alone can win over almost any audience member as Scott Lang, an underdog, vigilante master-thief who is enlisted by retired superhero Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) to steal back the advanced technology that allows them both to shrink down to microscopic sizes. It’s snappy, genuinely funny throughout, and stands entirely on its own, able to be enjoyed without any sort of MCU refresher — nor does it compel you to finish the so-so trilogy of “Ant-Man” films.

The worst thing we could say about “Ant-Man” is that it represents Marvel’s greatest missed opportunity. Originally, the film was supposed to be directed by action comedy auteur Edgar Wright (“Hot Fuzz,” “Shaun of the Dead), but he parted ways with the studio when it became clear he wouldn’t be able to execute his singular vision without interference. Then again, if Wright had finished work on “Ant-Man,” there’s a good chance we wouldn’t have gotten the mid-budget miracle “Baby Driver,” an equally unique heist film with even more style and a killer soundtrack to boot.

Released in 2017, it stars Ansel Elgort as “Baby,” a prodigious getaway driver who has spent most of his life working for a professional criminal (Kevin Spacey) in order to pay off a large debt. On the cusp of earning his freedom (which he hopes to enjoy with diner waitress Debora, played by Lily James), he’s forced to go on one last job with the charismatic yet dangerous “Buddy” (Jon Hamm), his unpredictable lover “Darling” (Eiza González), and the psychopathic “Bats” (Jamie Foxx). From start to finish, “Baby Driver” is a perfectly paced joy ride that doesn’t miss a single beat.

Though it’s largely remembered as the 2006 magician period thriller that wasn’t directed by Christopher Nolan, “The Illusionist” is a remarkably unique and entertaining film that deserves to be praised on its own merit. Edward Norton stars as an Austrian-Hungarian magician who gains national recognition for his inconceivable magic act in the late 19th century.

Unbeknownst to everyone, however, is that his performance is at least in part a misdirection in and of itself. Behind the smoke and mirrors, he attempts to win the love of a young duchess (Jessica Biel) who is engaged to a powerful member of the royal family (Rufus Sewell). As the Illusionist becomes more openly antagonistic to the prince and his betrothed, his life and freedom are put in jeopardy, forcing him to outrun the advances of law enforcement (led by Paul Giamatti’s chief inspector) and the machinations of the crown. With a grander sense of romance, history, and drama, “The Illusionist” is far from an echo of Nolan’s work.

Before we get to the other Christopher Nolan film that made this list, we have to talk about “Inception.” The 2010 thriller was an inescapable cultural phenomenon when it first hit theaters, spawning endless debate about its dubious ending and solidifying Nolan as one of, if not the greatest blockbuster director of our time.

What often goes underappreciated about this film is how brilliantly it twists the heist subgenre. Rather than trying to take something out of a secure location, the perpetually haunted and hunted fugitive Dominic Cobb (Leonard DiCaprio) is tasked with placing something of great importance — an idea — within the human mind, perhaps the most impenetrable vault of all. To do so without tripping the natural alarms of human logic and memory, he and his crew must break into a man’s (Cillian Murphy) dreams, constructing a false reality from the ground up and manipulating it to their physical and psychological advantage on the fly, all while dodging the constant threat of permanent slumber.

Prior to 2013, if you asked anyone to imagine what the first (and, tragically, final) collaboration between Steve Buscemi and James Gandolfini would be after “The Sopranos,” we highly doubt anyone would have guessed it would wind up being a comedy about Las Vegas magicians. Yet, as part of a cast that also includes a fresh-from-“The Office” Steve Carell, Alan Arkin, Olivia Wilde, and Jim Carrey, it’s hard to imagine a more perfect ensemble for such a story.

“The Incredible Burt Wonderstone” follows the rise and fall of the titular magical showman (Carell), whose supernatural ego is dangerously close to alienating him from his closest friend and co-star (Buscemi), their talented but overlooked and mistreated assistant (Wilde), and the billionaire who bankrolls their casino residency (Gandolfini). As a narcissistic yet attention-grabbing street-magician (Carrey) rivals their old-school theatrics with life-threatening stunts, the pressure has never been more immense for Burt and his team to create their most impressive act yet. A satisfying showbiz comedy with hilarious magical gags and a surprising amount of heart, “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone” is worthy of a reevaluation a decade after it bombed at the box office.

Looking back over 10 years later, it’s a real shame that “The Interview” is mostly remembered as the movie where Seth Rogen almost started a real war with North Korea. Inciting the ire of their government for what it perceived as a threat against Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un’s life (in fairness, the movie is basically about Seth Rogen and James Franco trying to kill the Supreme Leader, played by Randall Park), its release was such a hot-button issue that distributor Sony Pictures debated whether or not to put it out at all — especially after they were subjected to a massive and unprecedented cyber attack by the country, the consequences of which were far reaching and incredibly revealing.

And yet, after all this panic, intrigue, and (eventually) renewed determination from audiences to defy this assault on freedom of expression, “The Interview” was released to only a few hundred theaters. Critics were tepid on it, most thinking its plot was “fine for a Seth Rogen flick” but “definitely not even close to being worth starting a nuclear war over.” It’s a harsh metric to judge any movie against and now — with enough distance from the actual event — we feel that “The Interview” is an amusingly juvenile spy comedy with a premise wild enough to hold your interest through its weaker moments.

There’s a lot not to love about “Magic in the Moonlight.” As many readers may already know, the 2014 feature is written and directed by Woody Allen, a once renowned filmmaker whose legacy is now as allegedly sordid as it is infamous and impossible to talk about responsibly at length in this format. It also has one of Allen’s equally infamous age-gap movie romances, as co-stars Colin Firth and Emma Stone (53 and 25 years old at the time of filming) have 28 years of distance between them.

All that being said and considered, some may still find “Magic in the Moonlight” a light, sweetly sentimental period romantic comedy with a similar sort of pseudo-supernatural intrigue to “Now You See Me.” Firth plays a 1920s magician named Stanley, who moonlights as a professional debunker of supernatural phenomena and occult fraudsters. An old friend urges him to travel out to the French Riviera to witness the work of an incredibly insightful medium (Emma Stone), who has caught a wealthy family under her spell.

Not to be confused with the trilogy of films you came here to move beyond, “Now You See It…” is actually a Disney Channel Original Movie that was released all the way back in 2003 — during the time when DCOMs were, respectfully, about as good as the live-action children’s movies getting released in theaters. “Now You See It…” is a particularly underrated classic from this era, and it’s still available to stream on Disney+ as of writing.

Aly Michalka (of “Phil of the Future” and “Aly and AJ” fame) stars as a young documentarian capturing the behind-the-scenes drama of a mysterious magic competition hosted by the enigmatic master magician Max (Frank Langella). Her chosen subject is contestant Danny Sinclair (Johnny Pacar), a teenage magician with abilities so uncanny they border on supernatural. As dark secrets and real danger begin to emerge from the shadows of the secluded gothic castle in which Danny competes in trials of misdirection, performance, and majesty, “Now You See It…” unravels a tale more tense and audaciously ambiguous than you might expect.

It would be absolutely negligent of us to be recommending any heist films without paying due respect to “Ocean’s Eleven,” perhaps the most popular and culturally impactful heist film ever made. Directed by Steven Soderbergh, this 2001 mega-hit remake was an instant classic, and set the standard for what contemporary audiences expected from heist movies going forward — “Now You See Me” included.

For younger readers who might have overlooked this film so far, “Ocean’s Eleven” stars a peak-performance George Clooney as Danny Ocean, a recently paroled convict who immediately wants to gamble his freedom on his most important — and most personal — score yet. Plotting to steal over $150 million right from the under the nose of a ruthless Las Vegas casino mogul (Andy Garcia), Ocean assembles an all-star team that just so happens to include iconic Hollywood heavyweights like Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, Elliot Gould, and Bernie Mac.

The film made over five times its budget at the worldwide box office, spawned an unfortunately uneven franchise, and undoubtedly laid the cultural groundwork for films like “Now You See Me” to see similar success. Rewatching it today, it’s still a near-perfect blockbuster (despite of a glaring plot hole) that’s simply funnier, smarter, and cooler than the majority of its peers in the heist subgenre.

“Oz the Great and Powerful” combines the “practical” magic thrills of “Now You See Me” with the wonderment and world of the 2024 hit musical “Wicked.” Though the latter film does not share a continuity with this 2013 blockbuster from Walt Disney Studios and “Spider-Man” director Sam Raimi, their depictions of Oz are similarly inspired by the original 1939 “Wizard of Oz” film, evoking a glossy nostalgia that’s hard not to get swept up in.

James Franco stars as the titular “wizard,” though he’s a mere stage magician from Kansas when “Oz” begins. During a particularly dangerous ride on a hot air balloon, he is taken by a tornado into the magical Land of Oz, where idealistic and vulnerable citizens (including the good witch Theodora, played by Mila Kunis) immediately believe him to be the prophesied magical savior of their realm. Despite not being a particularly good magician or person, he uses his talent for trickery to become the hero Oz needs.

Who better to write and star in a movie about magicians than two of the world’s most famous magicians themselves? Released in 1989, “Penn and Teller Get Killed” tells the (obviously fictional) story of the titular magicians’ attempts to evade an assassin intent on killing them both for unknown reasons. It’s a plot as wild as it is hard to talk about without spoiling anything, with the duo writing each scene as a sort of mini-trick that pulls the rug out from under the audience in some way.

Narratively speaking, this convention might wear thin for some viewers, though influential Hollywood director Arthur Penn keeps the energy zany enough for the onslaught of reveals to feel appropriately farcical. “Penn and Teller Get Killed” is unquestionably the most baffling movie we’ve included on this list, for better or for worse, and is sure to keep you guessing right up to its shockingly grim ending.

There’s an argument to be made that “The Prestige” is the definitive magician movie. No other film captures the thrills, the obsession, the secrecy, and the desperation to conquer the unknown like Christopher Nolan does in this twisted 2006 box office hit.

Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale star as two rival 19th century illusionists, both driven with single-minded focus to develop a trick so groundbreaking, shocking, and unknowable that not even their peers can conceive of how it was accomplished. Tragedy turns this friendly rivalry into an outright violent feud, with the men using their knowledge of magic to sabotage and torment one another. Things come to a head when they become obsessed with mastering a single, deceptively dangerous and life-altering trick — the elusive “Transporting Man” illusion — before the other.

“The Prestige” is quietly one Nolan’s greatest films, and magic fans in particular will be amused by its meticulous depiction of the art. With an ending so twisted it alters your whole understanding of the film, it’s an act well worth revisiting.

While readers may well be aware of how close “The Illusionist” and “The Prestige” were released with one another, they might not know that there was actually a third movie about magicians released in 2006: Woody Allen’s “Scoop.” It even stars “Prestige” cast members Scarlett Johansson and Hugh Jackman (unfortunately alongside Allen himself), as well as “Deadwood” alum Ian McShane.

After attending the show of a popular stage magician (Allen) and being selected from the audience to participate in a trick that involved her standing in a purportedly mystical vessel, aspiring journalist Sondra Pransky (Johansson) is inexplicably contacted by a spirit from the great beyond. This spirit (McShane) reveals to her that, before his death, he was a journalist himself, and (through some supernatural nonsense) has since uncovered the identity of a serial murderer known as the Tarot Card Killer. Believing the killer to be a wealthy British socialite (Jackman), the spirit compels Sondra to travel to his home to discover proof of his crimes before he kills again.

Appropriately, the final film on our list is “Sleight,” a must-see thriller that deserves the strongest recommendation of any other film we’ve discussed so far. Directed by J. D. Dillard (maybe best known for the 2022 war film “Devotion,” starring Jonathan Majors and Glenn Powell) in his feature film directorial debut and written by Dillard and Alex Theurer, the 2017 indie flick follows a skilled Los Angeles street magician named Bo (“The Chi” star Jacob Lattimore) as he tries to use his uncanny talents to provide for himself and his kid sister (“Euphoria” alum Storm Reid). When he eventually crosses a powerful local crime boss (“Psych” star Dulé Hill), Bo must use his seemingly supernatural abilities to defend himself.

“Sleight” is a tight, clever film with impressive visual effects that never feel like they were accomplished with a mere $250,000 — though the entire movie certainly feels worthy of its astounding $4 million haul. Even strictly considering it in terms of its comparison to “Now You See Me,” no other film is as inventive with its use and explanation of practical magic. And with a similar underdog story, it delivers the same cathartic wish fulfillment of the aforementioned blockbuster that brought you here in the first place.