Wizards Take Manhattan in New 'Fantastic Beasts' Trailer
We’ve already met the latest Harry Potter saga hero — and Hogwarts textbook author — Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) in previous teasers for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. But in the new trailer, revealed during the MTV Movie Awards on Sunday night, we get the full story of his coming to America and 1920s New York, including a stop at Ellis Island, where he uses some crafty magic to hide a title Beast from customs. (Watch the clip above.)
A voiceover notes “just like your suitcase, there’s much more than meets the eye” and then reveals Scamander’s backstory: Kicked out of Hogwarts for his beastly experiments, he still has the support of none other than future headmaster Albus Dumbledore himself.
There is a new sort of magic to seeing Potter author (and first-time screenwriter) J.K. Rowling’s wondrous creations come to life on the streets, subterranean levels, and rooftops of Manhattan. We also get a much more up-close-and-personal look at Redmayne’s costars Colin Farrell (who plays Yankee wizard Percival Graves) and Dan Fogler (as Scamander’s roomie Jacob Kowalski).
The trailer’s kicker — which was set up by Redmayne’s Movie Awards entry through a briefcase on the stage floor — is one of those classic befuddled-muggle moments: Scamander suddenly hops out of his bed, pops open his enchanted briefcase on the floor, climbs down into it — and then signals for Kowalski to follow.
Directed by David Yates (who also helmed the last four Potter movies), Fantastic Beasts also stars Katherine Waterston, Ron Perlman, Ezra Miller, Jon Voight, and Samantha Morton. It opens Nov. 18.
