The Handmaid’s Tale cast and fans alike are preparing to say goodbye to the show during its sixth and final season.
Based on Margaret Atwood’s novel of the same name, The Handmaid’s Tale takes place in a dystopian future where low fertility rates have led women to be assigned to men for bearing children. Elisabeth Moss, Yvonne Strahovski, Madeline Brewer, Ann Dowd, O-T Fagbenle, Max Minghella, Samira Wiley and Amanda Brugel have led the cast since the show premiered in 2017.
The series also became a critical success with multiple award nominations over the years. The Handmaid’s Tale notably was the first show produced by Hulu to win a major award and the first series on a streaming network to win an Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series.
Despite The Handmaid’s Tale coming to an end, the universe is expanding with Atwood’s 2019 novel The Testaments. It was previously announced that Hulu and MGM were developing the sequel series but there hasn’t been any more news yet.
Keep scrolling for everything we know so far about season 6 of The Handmaid’s Tale:
When Will Hulu Release ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Season 6?
The Handmaid’s Tale was renewed in 2022 shortly before season 5 premiered. Filming, however, got delayed due to the dual SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes and Moss’ real-life pregnancy.
Disney TV boss Craig Erwich told Deadline in 2024 that production would start over the summer, and the final season will premiere one year later. An exact 2025 release date has yet to be announced but Hulu confirmed in September 2024 that production on the final season had started.
Who Is Coming Back — and Who Is Joining — the Final Season?
The main cast mentioned above are expected to return alongside recurring actors Bradley Whitford, Sam Jaeger and Ever Carradine. Ahead of season 6, Josh Charles was cast as a series regular but details about his character were not immediately released.
Alexis Bledel is not expected to return after she left ahead of season 5.
Where Does the Story Pick Up?
The fifth season ended with June (Moss) and Serena Joy (Strahovski) both fleeing Toronto for Vancouver.
Amid the growing anti-refugee movement in Toronto, June was targeted by a hit-and-run driver and her husband, Luke (Fagbenle), brutally attacked the assailant. The Gilead supporter, a native Canadian, didn’t survive his injuries, and June and Luke knew that the attention and threats to their safety would only get worse. They decide to leave for Vancouver, but authorities at the train station were already looking for Luke. He convinced June to get on the train without him, taking baby Nichole with her. June is surprised to find Serena (with baby Noah) asking her for a diaper.
It isn’t clear what happens next — and the book that served as inspiration hasn’t been a big help with predicting the show’s ending. Atwood’s novel wrapped up with the protagonist Offred — whose real name was never revealed — being taken away in a van.
After the first season adapted the entire book, Hulu’s version went beyond what was on the page. Where Serena and June go from here is anyone’s guess.
What Do the Cast Members Want to See From the Ending?
“June is going to figure out who she is and who she’s going to be for the rest of her life,” Moss told Elle in November 2022 about her character’s potential story lines for the final season.
Moss teased that the final season centers on a fight that “is not just about one individual.” According to Moss, fans shouldn’t expect a happy ending, adding, “I don’t think we feel an obligation to tie up the entire story of Gilead.”
What Changes Took Place Behind the Scenes?
Showrunner Bruce Miller has been with The Handmaid’s Tale since it debuted in 2017. Before season 6, Miller offered a glimpse at his vision for the show’s ending.
“We are ending our show on our own creative terms,” he told Entertainment Weekly in 2022. “Do I know what happens in season 6? Yes, I did think about the stuff that happens in season 6 for a while.”
However, Miller stepped down as showrunner in 2023. He is expected to remain a writer and executive producer but passed on his duties to executive producers Eric Tuchman and Yahlin Chang.
