More than a decade after the Four Horsemen first flipped the world of cinema on its head, Morgan Freeman returns to one of his most commanding characters: Thaddeus Bradley, the debunker-turned-mastermind whose motives have always remained unclear. In Now You See Me, Now You Don’t—the third installment of the global box-office hit—Freeman once again anchors a sprawling cast of old and new faces as the Eye ushers in its next era.
For Freeman, stepping back into the Now You See Me franchise was an easy yes, though he admits his decision-making process is much simpler than audiences may imagine. “Well, I’m always looking for something new to do,” he said with a smile. “And if it pays well then I’m more inclined to do it.”
In the latest film, Thaddeus has evolved from the smug, self-appointed truth-teller of the first movie into something more unexpected: a mentor, a historian of magic, and ultimately, the philosophical backbone of the Eye itself. It’s a journey Freeman describes with candid clarity.
“Well, before he was an arrogant ass, I think,” he said. “Then, he got his comeuppance at the end of the picture and then it turns out that it wasn’t who you thought he was. He’s really more involved with the Horsemen and the Eye, and now he’s become like the old man, the go-to person for mystery solving.”
This installment continues the franchise’s escalation of scale and intrigue, and a new team of young illusionists pulling digital-age tricks that reflect how magic has evolved alongside technology. Justice Smith and Ariana Greenblatt join the ensemble this time around, giving Now You See Me, Now You Don’t a new feel and endless possibilities, especially with the introduction of these characters and storylines.
One of the most consistent pleasures of watching Freeman onscreen is how naturally he embodies characters who withhold just enough—men whose intentions crystallize only when the story demands it. But for the actor himself, there’s no mystical formula when choosing such roles. “Now you’re asking a question that requires separation of subject matter from the actor. Can’t do that,” he explained. “There isn’t anything in particular that attracts me about that type of character. It’s specific to each film.”
With Now You See Me, Now You Don’t, Freeman continues adding dimension to a franchise built on the thrill of the unexpected. At 88, he remains one of Hollywood’s most enduring presences, a performer whose voice, warmth, and gravitas have shaped generations of filmgoers. But longevity, he says, isn’t something he overthinks.
“It does float past me from time to time—hey, why don’t I just retire here?” he admits. “But then the minute you do that, you don’t have any reason to get up in the morning, and I don’t want to lose the reason to get up, and to get into the gym and keep things active, and functioning the best that they can”