How a magician orchestrated the Lizzy Caplan decapitation scene in ‘Now You See Me 2’
Keith Barry had never chopped off anyone’s head before, but he was up for giving it a try.
Over the course of his career, the Irish mentalist, hypnotist and magician has performed all kinds of mind-bending tricks and stunts, from apparent feats of clairvoyance to driving a car at high speeds while blindfolded. But until signing on as the chief magic and mentalism consultant on the caper sequel “Now You See Me 2,” Barry had never tried to pull off the classic decapitation illusion on anyone — let alone a high-profile actress.
The team behind “Now You See Me 2,” in theaters June 10, is aiming to recapture the magic of the original 2013 film — the story of a group of illusionists called the Four Horsemen who use their presto chango skills to pull off a series of Robin Hood-style heists — which grossed $352 million worldwide. To that end, early in the sequel screenwriter Ed Solomon and director Jon M. Chu wanted to introduce the new member of the Horsemen — a magician named Lula (Lizzy Caplan), who has a twisted sense of humor — with a scene that would surprise the audience while conveying the character’s morbid flair. Lopping off her head seemed as if it would do the trick. Read the rest and view the storyboard at: