A Glitzy Woody Harrelson Sequel Is Trending On Streaming
Woody Harrelson's Now You See Me 2 is ranked #10 on Netflix
Woody Harrelson, who recently confessed to drinking snake blood with Michael J. Fox, has proven himself to be a mainstay in Hollywood, scoring leading roles in multiple features year after year. The Academy Award-nominated actor landed a prominent role in 2013’s Now You See Me, which ended up being an unexpected hit for Lionsgate. Clearly, the franchise still has some magic up its sleeve as the 2016 follow-up Now You See Me 2 is ranked #10 on the Amazon-owned streaming platform Freevee.
Now You See Me 2 picks up one year after The Four Horsemen (Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Dave Franco, and Lizzy Caplan) outwitted the FBI with their Robin Hood-style magic spectacles. They resurface for a comeback performance in an attempt to expose the unethical practices of a tech magnate.
The man behind their vanishing act is none other than Walter Mabry, a tech prodigy who threatens the team into pulling off their most impossible heist yet, and their only hope is to perform one last unprecedented illusion to clear their names and expose the mastermind behind it all.
Like its predecessor, Now You See Me 2 features an ensemble cast. In addition to Woody Harrelson and the rest of The Four Horsemen, the sequel brings back renowned actors like Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, and David Warshofsky. Mark Ruffalo also reprises his role as Dylan Rhodes, and Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe makes his franchise debut as the villainous Mabry.
Although Now You See Me opened to mix reviews, traditional viewers were blown away by the unpredictable storyline and the elaborate illusions. Additionally, Woody Harrelson and the rest of the cast were praised for their top-notch performances that managed to infuse the film with fun, style and suspense. On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the movie has a score of 50% from critics, but a solid 70% from viewers.
Now You See Me 2 may not have fared as well with audiences, but the film’s box office numbers are certainly nothing to balk at. The sequel earned over $22 million during its debut weekend and grossed more than $334 million worldwide by the end of its theatrical run.
Even though critics blasted the movie for its heavy use of CG and uninspiring magic tricks, they gave cast members like Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg credit for their strong performances.
Woody Harrelson may not be what some consider to be an A-list star, but his resume should serve as more than enough proof that he’s an accomplished actor. In 2022 alone, he appeared in the dramedy Triangle of Sadness and the Netflix action comedy The Man from Toronto. Up next, the 61-year-old star will appear on the small screen as E. Howard Hunt in the five-part television series The White House Plumbers, which is set to premiere in 2023.
Further out, Woody Harrelson has signed on to star in the comedy Champions, alongside Ernie Hudson, Cheech Marin, Matt Cook, and Madison Tevlin. The forthcoming feature centers on a basketball team training and competing in the Special Olympics under the guidance of an imperfect but dedicated coach. The Bobby Farrelly-directed flick is currently in post-production and scheduled to arrive in theaters March 24, 2023.
