The end credits may have only just rolled on The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5, but viewers are already eager for the world of Margaret Atwood’s novel to expand with new episodes. Following a nail-biting season that was marked by rising tensions between Gilead and the United States and an effort to reunite June with her daughter Hannah, the heartbreaking Season 5 finale has left fans with plenty of questions, including one prominent question: has Hulu renewed The Handmaid’s Tale for Season 6? Warning: This post contains spoilers for The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5 finale, “Safe.”
While fans are likely still shaking from those final minutes, which saw yet another assassination attempt on June’s life, several arrests, and the heartbreaking moment that June got on the train without Luke, only to be reunited with Serena, they can take some comfort in the knowledge that The Handmaid’s Tale isn’t over just yet. Back in September and just days before the most recent season premiered, Hulu renewed The Handmaid’s Tale for Season 6. The upcoming sixth season, however, will conclude June Osbourne’s story, as it will mark the final season.
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“It has been a true honor to tell the story of Margaret Atwood’s groundbreaking novel and chillingly relevant world, and we are thrilled to bring viewers a sixth and final season of The Handmaid’s Tale,” creator and showrunner Bruce Miller said. “We are grateful to Hulu and MGM for allowing us to tell this story, which unfortunately has remained as relevant as ever throughout its run, and are in awe of our incredible fans for their unwavering support, and without whom we never would have gotten to this point.”
While The Handmaid’s Tale may be fast approaching its conclusion, the story of Gilead is nowhere near finished. A follow-up to the series is actively being developed. Based on Atwood’s 2019 novel The Testaments, the series of the same name is set 15 years after the events of the original novel and is focused on three characters – Aunt Lydia, Agnes Jemima, and Daisy. Miller told The Hollywood Reporter that he is currently “technically checking boxes” and “trying to lay the groundwork” for the show.
Premiering back in 2017, The Handmaid’s Tale stars Elisabeth Moss Joseph Fiennes, Yvonne Strahovski, Madeline Brewer, Ann Dowd, Max Minghella, O.T. Fagbenle, Samira Wiley, Amanda Brugel, Bradley Whitford, and Sam Jaeger. The series was pivotal in turning Hulu into a place for scripted originals. In 2017, The Handmaid’s Tale became the first streaming series to win a major Emmy, and it has racked up numerous awards in the years since.
Fans can catch up on the first five seasons of The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu. You can sign up for a Hulu subscription by clicking here. A premiere date for Season 6 has yet to be announced, though it seems likely that new episodes will arrive sometime late next year. A tentative premiere window for The Testaments also hasn’t been announced.
