After six intense seasons, Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale has finally reached its emotional conclusion. June Osborne (Elisabeth Moss) led a relentless rebellion against Gilead’s brutal regime, and with Boston finally freed, fans are now looking ahead to what’s next. That next chapter is The Testaments, Hulu’s upcoming adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s 2019 sequel novel — and it’s already in production.
How Did The Handmaid’s Tale End?
The series finale sees Mayday and the U.S. military working together to bring down the remaining Gilead leaders in Boston. In a pivotal move, Commander Lawrence (Bradley Whitford) sacrifices himself to ensure their defeat. Meanwhile:
-
Janine (Madeline Brewer) reunites with her daughter Charlotte.
-
Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd) completes her redemption arc, working with Naomi Lawrence (Ever Carradine) to smuggle Janine into freedom.
-
June, inspired by this victory, prepares to head toward Colorado to rescue her daughter Hannah, still trapped within Gilead’s walls.
The final scene — June writing her story in the old Waterford house — directly mirrors the opening of Atwood’s original The Handmaid’s Tale novel.
What Is The Testaments About?
The Testaments is set 15 years after The Handmaid’s Tale in the novel, but Hulu’s adaptation shortens the gap to four years. The series explores the lives of a new generation of young women raised in a fractured but still dangerous Gilead.
Returning character Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd) continues to play a central role. Secretly, she becomes a whistleblower, leaking Gilead’s secrets while writing a memoir that could destroy the regime from within.
The sequel focuses on two young women:
-
Agnes (now living as Victoria), an older version of Hannah, who unknowingly becomes an Aunt to escape an arranged marriage.
-
Nicole (aka Daisy), Agnes’s half-sister, raised outside Gilead, who reunites with Agnes as part of Lydia’s resistance efforts.
Will June Return in The Testaments?
While Elisabeth Moss will not reprise her role (yet), she is confirmed to serve as an executive producer on The Testaments. Showrunner Bruce Miller has suggested that June’s story will continue offscreen but could be referenced or included creatively.
“Although June has a big stake in it, part of the story is her impotence to do anything about it,” Miller said.
Still, given the overlap in characters and timeline, fans may expect a cameo or flashback featuring June — especially if Hulu opts to expand beyond the original source material.
See More ...
Who Is in The Testaments Cast?
Alongside Ann Dowd and Chase Infiniti, the new series will feature:
-
Amy Seimetz
-
Brad Alexander
-
Mabel Li
-
Zarrin Darnell-Martin
-
Isolde Ardies
-
Eva Foote
-
Shechinah Mpumlwana
-
Birva Pandya
-
Kira Guloien
Mike Barker, who directed several episodes of The Handmaid’s Tale, will return to direct the first three episodes of The Testaments.
When Will The Testaments Premiere?
Hulu has not yet announced a release date, but production is currently underway. With the legacy of The Handmaid’s Tale still fresh, fans are eager to see how Gilead’s final downfall will unfold through the eyes of a new generation.
