Potential spoilert alert for both The Testaments and The Handmaid's Tale.
The streaming wars have been going on for years, and are showing no signs of slowing down. Each service has its own set of megahits, and for those with a Hulu subscription one of those titles is definitely The Handmaid's Tale. The Emmy-winning dystopian series is wildly popular, and gearing up for its sixth and final season. A spinoff is expected to follow the final season, an adaptation of Margaret Atwood's novel The Testaments. But based on what we know about The Testaments so far, I'm worried The Handmaid's Tale series finale will be partly spoiled.
The Handmaid's Tale Season 6 is officially in the rear view, and those who've read The Testaments might have some clues as to how the story will continue with the spinoff. The pressure is on for the new show to find success, after the flagship series planted narrative seeds for the forthcoming spinoff. And since I've read the sequel novel, I'm worried that the series finale will have less impact... especially if they're setting up the story I read.
When will The Testaments Premiere?
The news that The Handmaid's Tale's sixth season would be its last came with along with some good news: Hulu is planning on continuing the story with a TV version of The Testaments. The series finale of The Handmaid's Tale brought back some OG characters, and also offered final resolution for June and Serena. And it should be fascinating to see how the final episodes factor into the spinoff.
Of course, the biggest question is: exactly when will the upcoming series premiere? IT as just revealed that The Testaments will debut April 8th on Hulu. Exactly how closely the book to screen adaptation is to its source material remains to be seen, but the project has never felt closer.
Who will star in The Testaments?
Information about The Testaments is limited, but the fandom is no doubt hoping that some of the beloved Handmaid's Tale cast ends up making the transition into the spinoff. One actor has already been confirmed for the developing follow-up series: Aunt Lydia actress Ann Dowd.
This won't be too surprising for those who read The Testaments, as Lydia is one of the book's three narrators. The novel offers an intimate look at her psyche and backstory (which differs from the one we were shown on The Handmaid's Tale). Fans will likely also be crossing their fingers to see Elisabeth Moss back as June, especially as she's also a director and executive producer on the acclaimed series. But we do know more about the starring cast; Chase Infiniti will star as Agnes/Hannah, June's daughter who is still living in Gilead. Lucy Halliday will star as Daisy, a Canadan young woman with ties to Gilead. Rowan Blanchard plays Shunammite a pampered daughter of a prominent Gilead family.
How Did The Testaments Tease The Handmaid's Tale Ending?
Here is where we really get into some spoilers for The Handmaid's Tale's sixth and final season on the air. Because the mere plot of The Testaments offers hints at how the show might end up wrapping up... especially since the spinoff is in active development. Buckle up.
The Testaments is set 15 years after the events of The Handmaid's Tale novel (which ends at around Season 1 of the TV series). Offred is no longer the narrator, instead the narrators consist of a remorseful Aunt Lydia, June's daughter Hannah/Agnes who grew up in Gilead, and an older version of Baby Nichole named Daisy, who doesn't realize that she played a role in the global Gilead conflict just by being born. These three stories start off separate, and end up connecting by the time the book's thrilling conclusion comes to pass.
If the TV version of The Testaments ends up being accurate to the novel, then we might be able to surmise a few things.
1) June and Luke potentially never get Hannah back from Gilead.
2) They eventually give up Nichole for her own safety.
3) Lydia will regret her cruelty and end up finding redemption.
And all three of these would seemingly need to happen before The Handmaid's Tale ends. But whether or not these are actually the plans remain to be seen. If they are, then unfortunately the hardcore fandom might already know how certain things end up.
Big Questions About Season 6 of The Handmaid's Tale We Still Don't Know
What's the latest Testaments news?
Since the creatives behind The Handmaid's Tale were busy with its final season news about The Testaments is super limited. But from the looks of its casting and sneak peek images, it appears that the story is going to closely follow Margaret Atwood's novel of the same name. And I have to wonder what legacy characters from The Handmaid's Tale might appear alongside Aunt Lydia. I'm personally crossing my fingers for Naomi to pop up. Elisabeth Moss is attached as an Executive Producer, so she should help to make sure the spinoff has the same tone as its pedecessor.
Luckily for fans of this dystopian world, answers to our questions will arrive when The Testaments arrives April 8th as part of the 2026 TV schedule. We'll be treated to three full episodes before it shifts to a weekly release schedule.
