The Handmaid's Tale spinoff: Everything we know about The Testaments so far

The Handmaid’s Tale has been one of Hulu’s biggest shows, and plans are underway for a sequel series called The Testaments! Here’s what we know about it so far!

Premiering on Hulu in 2017, The Handmaid’s Tale adapted Margaret Atwood’s acclaimed 1985 novel. A twisted group called the Sons of Jacob overthrew the United States and transformed it into the brutal theocracy of Gilead. Women are stripped of all rights, even reading, and most made Handmaids, kept captive for breeding. June (Elisabeth Moss) slowly fights back and starts a revolution. 

The show has been a huge hit and won Emmys for Best Drama Series, among other accolades. It’s expanded on the world of the novel and is currently prepping for its sixth and final season to air in 2025. 

Now, plans are underway to adapt Atwood’s follow-up novel, The Testaments. So here’s what we know so far about the new show!

What is The Testaments about?

Published in 2019, The Testaments takes place 15 years after The Handmaid’s Tale (with flashbacks to the beginning of Gilead). It follows the characters of Aunt Lydia, Agnes Jemima, and Daisy, who remember what happened to Gilead following the events of the original novel.

The big revelation is Lydia had been a longtime mole for Mayday, a group trying to rescue Handmaids. The three women soon join forces to try and bring Gilead down from the inside. 

Given that The Handmaid’s Tale TV show has changed some of the fates of the novel’s characters and world, it’s likely that The Testaments will have further shifts. It’s likely a reason why it’s being pushed off. 

Who will star in The Testaments?

So far, the only actress confirmed for the spin-off is Ann Dowd, who won an Emmy for her turn as Lydia in the original series. As it takes place fifteen years after the original story, it’s logical to get a new set of actors, including June’s children, Agnes and Nicole.

It is possible Elisabeth Moss might make a cameo as June for the reunion with her children, but as with much of the show, that’s up in the air. 

When will The Testaments premiere?

The show was announced in 2022, but its development has been slowed. The obvious reason is that Hulu wants to wrap up The Handmaid’s Tale first before doing a sequel series, and that season isn’t expected until 2025. 

There have also been delays due to the ongoing Hollywood strikes and some shake-ups at Hulu. But speaking to Deadline, Disney executive Craig Erwhich stated that development is still proceeding. 

"The Dan Fogelman show is something we’re really excited about. The Handmaid’s Tale is going to production this summer, premieres in 2025. In development we have The Testaments behind that, which is an extension of The Handmaid’s franchise so we have a very robust slate of scripted programming that we’re really excited about. Again, our strategy — and it’s one that works across the entire company — is a focus on quality versus quantity, not just in terms of how we produce the shows but also in bringing them to market."

So, while it’ll be a while before this finally airs, it looks like The Testaments is going to expand on the world of The Handmaid’s Tale and create a fantastic new entry in this dramatic franchise.

The Handmaid’s Tale Seasons 1-5 streaming on Hulu.