Now You See Me 3 gets the go-ahead making it the trilogy nobody expected

The third outing will be directed by the filmmaker behind the upcoming sequel

Now You See Me may have received a modest reception from critics but its overwhelming box office takings are what earned it a follow-up.

Now, four months ahead of the sequel's release, the caper series is set to become a full-blown magic-heist franchise following confirmation of a third film.

None of the film's ensemble is yet attached to star, however Variety reports that the sequel's director Jon M. Chu - who has replaced Louis Letterier - will be returning.

Chu's other directing credits include Step Up 2: The Streets, G.I. Joe: Retaliation and Justin Bieber: Never Say Never.

The upcoming sequel reunites the majority of the film's impressive original cast with Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Mark Ruffalo, Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine all returning. An unavailable Isla Fisher was replaced by Masters of Sex actor Lizzy Caplan while Daniel Radcliffe jumps on board as a troublemaking tech prodigy.

With The Hunger Games franchise now concluded, Lionsgate seems to have put its box office hopes on this series to deliver the goods, inadvertently making it what will be the least expected trilogy of the decade.

We'll be abated just as long as Chu lowers the use of swooping cameras and toecurling dialogue.