The Handmaid's Tale Announces Plans for Sixth and Final Season

On Sept. 8, Hulu announced that The Handmaid's Tale was renewed for a sixth and final season. Find out what's next for the series, including a planned spin-off.

By Daniel Trainor Sep 09, 2022 12:39 AMTags
Watch: Alexis Bledel Announces Exit From "The Handmaid's Tale"

The Handmaid's Tale will be under his eye for one final season.

On Sept. 8, Hulu announced that the Elisabeth Moss-starring drama would return for a sixth season, which will be its last. The fifth season of The Handmaid's Tale premieres Sept. 14 on the streamer.

"Five years ago, almost to the day, The Handmaid's Tale made history when it became the first show to win an Emmy for a streaming service," Craig Erwich, President of ABC Entertainment, Hulu & Disney Branded Television Streaming Originals, said in a statement. "In the time since, it has been a privilege and pleasure to work with some of the finest creative talent in our industry on this show—distinct and exceptional group of people who continue to produce the highest quality television that has made and continues to make significant cultural impact."

Based on the beloved novel by Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid's Tale premiered in 2017 and has won 15 Emmys, including Outstanding Drama Series in 2017 and acting trophies for Moss, Ann Dowd, Alexis Bledel, Samira Wiley, Bradley Whitford and Cherry Jones.

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It's not all bad news for Handmaid's fans, however, as Hulu also confirmed that creator Bruce Miller is working on a follow-up series called The Testaments, based on Atwood's novel of the same name, which picks up years after the events of the The Handmaid's Tale.

In 2019, Atwood released The Testaments, a span of 34 years in between the two novels.

The hotly-anticipated fifth season of The Handmaid's Tale will follow June (Moss) as she "faces consequences for killing Commander Waterford (Joseph Fiennes) while struggling to redefine her identity and purpose," according to the streamer. "The widowed Serena (Yvonne Strahovski) attempts to raise her profile in Toronto as Gilead's influence creeps into Canada."

Hulu

The fifth season will be without Bledel, who starred on the previous four seasons. The actress announced her surprising departure from the show in May, saying, "After much thought, I felt I had to step away from The Handmaid's Tale at this time. I am forever grateful to [creator] Bruce Miller for writing such truthful and resonant scenes for Emily, and to Hulu, MGM, the cast and crew for their support."

The Handmaid's Tale season five premieres with two episodes Sept. 14th on Hulu.

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