What's next for 'The Handmaid's Tale'? What we know about 'The Testaments'
What's next for 'The Handmaid's Tale'? What we know about 'The Testaments'
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Editor's note: This post contains spoilers about the Season 6 finale of "The Handmaid's Tale."
'A chair, a table, a lamp."
"The Handmaid's Tale" came full circle with the final episode of Season 6 as June (Elisabeth Moss) found herself reliving her journey and trauma at the burned down and abandoned Waterford house in a now-free Boston.
The dystopian series, adapted from Canadian author Margaret Atwood's 1985 novel of the same name, ends with June not reuniting with her oldest daughter, Hannah, but instead determined to continue to fight for her. On the suggestion of her mother (Cherry Jones), with whom she reunited, she appears to document her journey as a handmaid, taking viewers back to the 2017 pilot.
Finale recap: Here's how 'The Handmaid's Tale' ends after 6 years in Gilead
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In the final episode of "The Handmaid's Tale," Gilead's Boston came down after its Commanders were killed in a plane that was bombed by Commander Lawrence as it was heading to D.C. with the top leadership on board. Turns out Boston is just the start, and Gilead will continue to fall across the once-United States with June fighting undercover until she gets Hannah, who is stuck in Colorado, out. Her husband Luke (O-T Fagbenle) vows to do the same.
While June did not get what she was hoping for, Janine (Madeline Brewer) has an emotional reunion with her daughter Charlotte thanks to a reformed Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd). Serena's fate, on the other hand, is left open-ended as she is once again left a refugee without a home for her and son Noah.
While the curtain drops on the "The Handmaid's Tale," here's what to know about the series future, including details of a sequel.
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Will 'The Handmaid's Tale' return for Season 7?
No. After a successful six season run, "The Handmaid's Tale" which premiered on April 26, 2017 ended on May 27 with the series finale.
In September 2022, ahead of Season 5's premiere, Hulu, while renewing the series for another season, announced Season 6 would be its last.
"It's been a very, very, very luxurious time that I've had to think about what happens at the end of this story and exactly how we'd like to get there as a company," creator, showrunner and executive producer Bruce Miller told The Hollywood Reporter at the time. "I'm very glad we're being able to do it on our own terms because I know how lucky that makes us — all the actors and creative people who put their hearts and souls into it — to close up the play the way you want. Dropping the curtain the way you want is such a huge privilege."
'The Testaments': A 'Handmaid's Tale' sequel
"The Handmaid's Tale" may be coming to an end, but the world of Gilead is not.
A "Handmaid's Tale" sequel "The Testaments" is in production at Hulu. The upcoming series is also being helmed by Miller.
"The Testaments," described by Hulu as "a coming-of-age story that finds a new generation of young women in Gilead grappling with the bleak future that awaits them," will pick up more than 15 years after the events of "The Handmaid's Tale."
It will follow the story of Agnes/Hannah, June's daughter and a new generation of young women in the dystopian Gilead.
"For these young women, growing up in Gilead is all they have ever known, having no tangible memories of the outside world prior to their indoctrination into this life," Hulu says about the series. "Facing the prospect of being married off and living a life of servitude, they will be forced to search for allies, both new and old, to help in their fight for freedom and the life they deserve."
Is there a release date for 'The Testaments'?
A release date for "The Testaments" is not yet known. The series is currently in production, Hulu announced on Instagram.
Will Elisabeth Moss be involved in 'The Testaments'?
While it is not yet known if Elisabeth Moss will be reprising her role as June in the upcoming series, she will be an executive producer on it, Hulu said.
Book review: Sequel to 'The Handmaid's Tale,' Margaret Atwood's 'The Testaments,' well worth the wait
'The Testaments' cast
The upcoming series will see Ann Dowd reprise her "Handmaid's Tale" role of Aunt Lydia. Other cast members, as per Hulu, include:
Chase Infiniti as Agnes
as Agnes Lucy Halliday as Daisy
as Daisy Rowan Blanchard as Shunammite
as Shunammite Mattea Conforti as Becka
as Becka Mabel Li as Aunt Vidala
as Aunt Vidala Amy Seimetz as Paula
as Paula Brad Alexander as Garth
as Garth Zarrin Darnell-Martin as Aunt Gabbana
as Aunt Gabbana Eva Foote as Aunt Estee
as Aunt Estee Isolde Ardies as Hulda
as Hulda Shechinah Mpumlwana as Jehosheba
as Jehosheba Birva Pandya as Miriam
as Miriam Kira Guloien as Rosa
How to watch 'The Handmaid's Tale'
"The Handmaid's Tale" is available to stream on Hulu.
Hulu offers membership options ranging from $9.99 a month to $18.99 a month for normal streaming services, and $82.99 a month to $95.99 a month for plans with streaming and live TV. New users can also sign up for a free trial.
Watch every season of The Handmaid's Tale on Hulu
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Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
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