It’s got witches, talking polar bears, dirigibles, a magic knife, an evil monkey, and Lin-Manuel Miranda, so thrilling may be an understatement.

His Dark Materials is based on the young adult novel series by Phillip Pullman and premiered its first season, based on the first novel in the series (The Northern Lights) on HBO Max last year.

Now the second book (The Subtle Knife) is in the can and will premiere on November 16th on the streamer. The series is co-produced by the BBC, which you can tell by the casting; it features a wealth of British talent.

If you’re up to date on the story, you know that it begins in an alternate-universe great Britain where things are very different than our world. Lyra (Dafne Keen) experienced a terrible tragedy at the end of season one. (If you aren’t caught up on the story, please watch season one ASAP so this all makes sense.)

As season two begins, she follows Lord Asriel (James McAvoy) through a rip in the worlds, where she meets Will (Amir Wilson,) whose world is much more like our own. Will has a knife that can cut a pathway between worlds (and is the second of His Dark Materials, the first being Lyra’s Golden Compass,) and this is the point where the excitement really begins.

Hamilton‘s Lin-Manuel Miranda returns as adventurer Lee Scoresby, and Andrew Scott (Fleabag) joins the cast as Will’s dad, Colonel John Parry. Lyra’s nemesis, Mrs. Coulter (Ruth Wilson) is still on the hunt, and she and Will must work together to elude her (and that awful golden monkey.)

Will they find a world where they can be safe? Will you be watching? Let us know in the comments!