The Handmaid’s Tale has been renewed for a sixth and final season on Hulu, and the news arrived just days before the premiere of season 5.
“It has been a real honor to inform the story of Margaret Atwood’s groundbreaking novel and chillingly relevant world, and we’re thrilled to bring viewers a sixth and final season of The Handmaid’s Tale,” Bruce Miller, the show’s creator, showrunner, and executive producer, said in an announcement. “We’re grateful to Hulu and MGM for allowing us to inform this story, which unfortunately has remained as relevant as ever throughout its run, and are in awe of our incredible fans for his or her unwavering support, and without whom we never would have gotten thus far.”
The Handmaid’s Tale, adapted from Margaret Atwood’s seminal 1985 novel of the identical name, first premiered on Hulu in 2017. Tackling timely themes of misogyny, patriarchy, women’s bodily autonomy, and reproductive rights, the series deeply resonated with viewers within the midst of the #MeToo movement and Trump’s presidency. Through the years, it has taken home 15 Emmy Awards and made history as the primary streaming title to win within the Outstanding Drama Series category. It won a Peabody Award as well.
No synopsis or potential release date for season 6 have been announced yet, but here’s every little thing else we all know to this point.
Who might be within the season 6 solid?
After all, the roster will rely upon the events of season 5, which is currently dropping recent episodes on Hulu every Wednesday. Currently, the solid includes Elisabeth Moss (June, and an executive producer), Bradley Whitford (Commander Lawrence), Yvonne Strahovski (Serena Joy), Max Minghella (Nick Blaine), O-T Fagbenle (Luke), Samira Wiley (Moira), Ann Dowd (Aunt Lydia), Madeline Brewer (Janine), Amanda Brugel (Rita), and Sam Jaeger (Mark Tuello).
The celebrities recently celebrated the Handmaid’s renewal news in a video posted on social media in early September. They said we’ll should “wait and see” what happens within the series’ closing chapter and thanked fans for his or her support through the years.
“Once we began this journey in season 1, we bore no more. In season 2, we reclaimed our name. In season 3, we set ourselves free. In season 4, we preyed together. In season 5, you’ll see how some sins can’t be washed away. And as to season six, our sixth and final season, well, you’ll just should wait and see. We are able to’t thank you adequate for supporting the show through the years. Much like to you all. Under his eye.”
Could Emily come back?
Emily (Alexis Bledel) is notably missing within the fifth season following Bledel’s exit from the series. While the show says that Emily went back to Gilead, Miller hints at the potential for her return for the ultimate season. “That character was not at the top of her journey so far as we were concerned,” he told Entertainment Tonight. He added that he and his the team were mindful “to [leave] that door open.”
Will there be a spin-off?
Handmaid’s Tale’s sixth season won’t be the last we see of Gilead onscreen; Miller is currently adapting Atwood’s 2019 book The Testaments, which takes place years after the events of Handmaid’s Tale. Further production details and a possible release date are still unknown.
The Testaments: The Sequel to the Handmaid’s Tale
The Testaments: The Sequel to the Handmaid’s Tale
O-T Fagbenle even has a theory that season 6 may arrange the Testaments spin-off indirectly. “I imagine to some extent, they’re gonna have to begin heading in that direction. For consistency’s sake,” he told E! News. But that continues to be unconfirmed.
This story has been updated.
Erica Gonzales is the Senior Culture Editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage on TV, movies, music, books, and more. She was previously an editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com. There’s a 75 percent likelihood she’s listening to Lorde without delay.
