The 2006 Christopher Nolan film about a rivalry between two stage magicians is The Prestige.
Set largely in Victorian London, the film follows Robert Angier, played by Hugh Jackman, and Alfred Borden, played by Christian Bale. Once colleagues, they become bitter competitors after a tragic accident and spend years sabotaging one another while trying to create the most astonishing stage illusion. Their rivalry centers on The Transported Man, an act that appears to teleport a magician across the stage.
The Prestige was directed by Christopher Nolan, who co-wrote the screenplay with his brother Jonathan Nolan. It is based on Christopher Priest’s 1995 novel of the same name. The film blends historical drama, psychological thriller, science fiction, and mystery, using the structure of a magic trick: the pledge, the turn, and the prestige.
Common mix-ups include confusing it with Now You See Me or The Illusionist, both of which also involve magicians. The film’s historical backdrop includes Nikola Tesla, portrayed by David Bowie, whose fictionalized technology becomes central to the escalating contest.