The "four horsemen" (Atlas, played by Eisenberg; Merritt by Woody Harrelson; Henley by Isla Fisher; and Jack by Dave Franco) create three successive magic shows, one in Las Vegas, a second in New Orleans, and the third in New York. The stakes rise incrementally as they appear to be playing Robin Hood to their large, American-Idol type audiences by showering them with money from their magical heists. The FBI with Agent Dylan (Mark Ruffalo) is in hot but bungling pursuit.