Lizzy Caplan and Dave Franco in “Now You See Me 2.”
Lionsgate
Warning: Spoilers ahead for Now You See Me: Now You Don’t.
The Four Horsemen are back in action for Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, but one key magician is noticeably absent from the trailers and promotional materials for the heist film.
Lula May, portrayed by Lizzy Caplan, joined the franchise in Now You See Me 2 as a new member of the Four Horsemen in the absence of Isla Fisher’s Henley Reeves. Lula was an integral part of the 2016 sequel and a quick-witted genius at misdirection. She also had a flirtation with Jack Wilder (Dave Franco), and at the end of the movie, they were seen holding hands.
But in the lead-up to the release of Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, there was no indication that Caplan’s character would be part of the film. However, the actor attended the film’s New York City premiere on Monday. Now that the third Now You See Me film is in theaters, audiences have a clear answer about whether Lula is still part of the franchise.
Is Lizzy Caplan In ‘Now You See Me: Now You Don’t?’
Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Lizzy Caplan and Jesse Eisenberg in “Now You See Me 2.”
Lionsgate
Much of the movie’s chatter focuses on Fisher’s return as Henley. Even so, there’s still room for two women in the group, and yes, Caplan reprises her role as Lula in the movie.
In Now You See Me 3, J. Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg) joins forces with three young illusionists named Bosco (Dominic Sessa), Charlie (Justice Smith) and June (Ariana Greenblatt) to take down the wealthy Veronika Vanderberg (Rosamund Pike), who sells diamonds at inflated prices to warlords, arms dealers and traffickers to help launder their money. A valuable, heart-shaped diamond is the basis of Veronika’s company, and Danny and the three magicians successfully steal the gem in Antwerp. They’re aided in their escape by the surprise appearances of original Horsemen Merritt McKinney (Woody Harrelson), Jack and Henley, who, like Danny, were contacted by the Eye.
While fleeing in a boat, Henley, now married and a mom in the suburbs, references the guys replacing her, prompting Merritt to ask Jack if he and Lula are still together.
Jack tells the group that Lula moved to Paris. Meanwhile, he’s been doing magic shows on cruise ships.
Coincidentally, the magicians follow a clue that leads them to a chateau in France that was once the Eye’s headquarters. Unfortunately, they’re tracked down by the police, who are in search of the stolen diamond. Thaddeus Bradley (Morgan Freeman) is shot by one of the cops and dies, Danny, Bosco, Henley and Charlie escape and June, Jack and Merritt are taken into custody.
This is where Lula comes into the picture.
What Happens To Lula?
Lizzy Caplan as Lula in “Now You See Me 2.”
Lionsgate
Lula, who has a flair for the dramatics, stages a prison break. She disguises herself with prosthetics to appear as an old woman and pretends to be drunk and disorderly. After causing a scene at the police station, she frees Jack, Merritt and June. Jack is relieved when he encounters Lula, telling her that he never thought he’d see her again, but Lula is bitter about the Horsemen reuniting without her.
At a rendezvous point, it’s revealed that Lula and Henley know each other.
“How many female magicians do you think there are in the world?” Lula says in response to Danny’s surprise.
The group meets with Veronika (Rosamund Pike) in Abu Dhabi to trade the diamond for Merritt. After swapping, Merritt, Danny, Jack, Henley and Lula fall into a trap set by Veronika. They end up in a glass box with seemingly no way to escape as sand rapidly fills it. Thinking they’re doomed makes the group vulnerable, and Lula admits to Jack that she missed him. They eventually break free using out-of-the-box thinking, pull off their scheme and expose Veronika as a fraud.
The Horsemen return to NYC and convene at Bosco, Charlie and June’s place. There, Henley, Lula and June talk about starting their own group for female magicians. Jack tells Lula that he wants to say something, “but it’s hard because I don’t know how you feel.” The group agrees they’ll miss each other, and Jack and Lula kiss.
Now You See Me: Now You Don’t is playing in theaters.