Daniel Radcliffe has proved to be a shrewd operator since his time as the focal point of the Harry Potter franchise drew to a close a decade ago. The actor focused on longevity rather than fame, and while he could have easily phoned it in and continued picking up big paychecks thanks to his built-in name value and star power, he’s instead challenged himself as regularly as possible.
It was only fitting that the one and only time Radcliffe has shown up in a big budget blockbuster since drawing a line under his tenure as the Boy Who Lived, it was in a movie about magicians, and his brief supporting turn was about as self-aware as you’d expect. We’re talking about Jon M. Chu’s Now You See Me 2, which has been proving hugely popular with Netflix subscribers this week, as it’s jumped over 20 places to currently rank as the ninth most-watched title with viewers around the world.
Louis Leterrier’s first installment boasted a solid premise and an even stronger ensemble cast, but after a hugely promising start, the third act was a total mess, with the final twist in particular almost sinking the entire thing. However, a box office haul of over $350 million saw a sequel get the green light, and while Now You See Me 2 didn’t perform terribly well with critics, audiences seemed to enjoy it.
Sure, the plot is more convoluted than before, but there’s admittedly still plenty of undemanding entertainment to be had and Radcliffe is great in his role. The sequel performed almost identically to its predecessor by hauling in just under $335 million globally, but both a potential third film and a spinoff for Jay Chou’s character have remained stuck in development hell. Still, the failure of more adventures to materialize clearly hasn’t deterred Netflix subscribers from checking out this great Daniel Radcliffe movie.
