Eddie Redmayne Flashes His Magic in First 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' Teaser

Nobody in showbiz quivers his or her lip quite like Eddie Redmayne. And in this first teaser trailer for the Harry Potter quasi-prequel Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the 33-year-old actor has the quiver in full effect — and for good reason. Watch it above.

Redmayne, who has joked that he was the only British actor in his age range not to play a part in the eight Harry Potter movies (despite having designs on being a Weasley), is finally picking up the wand. He plays Newt Scamander, the “magizoologist” who wrote the Hogwarts textbook on magical creatures (which in turn became an actual book written by Potter author J.K. Rowling). And from the looks of this first teaser, he’s in for a rough time in New York.

Written by Rowling (her first screenplay) and directed by David Yates, the filmmaker behind the last four films in the original Harry Potter franchise, the movie is set in 1926. Scamander and his briefcase filled with the titular fantastic beasts are making a pit stop in New York. Unfortunately, it’s not a particularly leisurely visit, as some of those creatures go missing (and blast a hole in his hotel wall). At least he gets to use his wand in public!

The synopsis teases the participation of a No-Maj (a.k.a. Muggle) named Jacob, but whether he’s the cause of or the solution to the beast breakout remains to be seen. The mysterious American is played by Dan Fogler, a Tony winner who also starred in Balls of Fury.

The teaser doesn’t show all that much, but we do get a first look at Katherine Waterston (Inherent Vice) as Tina, a woman who alerts the Wizarding authorities about the missing beasts. There’s also a solid shot of Carmen Ejogo (Selma) as Seraphina, who works at the Magical Congress of the United States of America and has great taste in headwear. And while we don’t see them, the film also features Colin Farrell, Ezra Miller, Samantha Morton, and Alison Sudol.

Fantastic Beasts hits theaters on Nov. 18, 2016.