‘Handmaid’s Tale’ Renewed for Season 3 by Hulu

Season 2 may have only just premiered, but Hulu has just announced that it will be taking fans back to the dystopian society of Gilead in a third season of The Handmaid’s Tale.

Just a week after its Season 2 premiere, Hulu has ordered a third installment of popular original series The Handmaid’s Tale, which the streaming service claims to be its most watched show, original or acquired, according to Variety.

Based on Margaret Atwood’s 1985 novel about a dystopian future in which fertile women are confined to a strict life where their sole purpose is to bear children to high-ranking officials and their wives, The Handmaid’s Tale has quickly gained popularity, taking home eight awards at last year’s Primetime Emmy Awards, including best drama series, best actress in a drama series for star Elisabeth Moss, and best writing in a drama series for executive producer and showrunner Bruce Miller. The series also was the recipient of a 2018 Peabody Award.

Now in its second season, the story has ventured away from its source material, with the new season currently focusing on Offred/June’s (Elisabeth Moss) pregnancy and her ongoing fight to free her future child from the dystopian horrors of Gilead.

While much of the original cast has returned for the series’ sophomore run, the second season also added a handful of new cast members to take on the roles of various characters.

Among the newest additions are West Wing alum Bradley Wilford, who landed a recurring role as Commander Joseph Lawrence, the architect of Gilead’s economy, who is gruff and intimidating, with a disheveled mad genius vibe.

Tony-winning actress Cherry Jones has also joined the cast in a recurring guest role, playing the role of June’s mother, Holly.

“She’s a terrific literary character who’s now going to come to life for the first time and so it was important to me who that was,” Moss told The Hollywood Reporter. “I was obsessed with it for weeks and bothering everybody about it — way before anybody cared to talk about it. Cherry was my fantasy choice. I sent her the script, she wrote me a lovely email back and she said yes almost immediately.”

Marisa Tomei will also make an appearance in the upcoming season.

Co-starring alongside Moss are Joseph Fiennes, Yvonne Strahovski, Samira Wiley, Alexis Bledel, Ann Dowd, Max Minghella, Madeline Brewer, O-T Fagbenle and Amanda Brugel star.

The Handmaid’s Tale is created, executive produced and written by Bruce Miller based on the book by Margaret Atwood. Warren Littlefield, Elisabeth Moss, Daniel Wilson, Fran Sears, and Ilene Chaiken executive produce.

New episodes of The Handmaid’s Tale are added to Hulu every Wednesday.