'Handmaid's Tale' Fans, the Creator Just Confirmed Some Upsetting Theories About Season 6

'the handmaid's tale' season 6 release date, cast, spoilers
All We Know About 'The Handmaid's Tale' Season 6Hulu
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June Osborne is like a cat with nine lives, but it seems due time to claim the ninth.

Adapted from the classic novel of the same name by Margaret Atwood, the Elisabeth Moss-led Hulu show The Handmaid’s Tale has racked up 15 Emmy Awards over the years, making history as the first show to win an award for a streaming service. Now, more than five years since the season 1 premiere, the show is approaching its last chapter and fans are wondering what lies ahead for the series' future.

No doubt, there are tons of questions left to wrap up: Where is June going at the end of The Handmaid's Tale season 5 episodes? What consequences await Nick? Here's everything we know about The Handmaid's Tale season 6 so far.

Will there be a Handmaid's Tale season 6?

'the handmaid's tale' season 6 on hulu cast
Hulu/Sophie Giraud

Yes, the sixth and final season of The Handmaid's Tale is on its way. Ahead of the season 5 premiere in 2022, Hulu let fans know that the streamer had renewed the original series for a sixth season. One major caveat? The Handmaid's Tale ends with it.

The show's creator, Bruce Miller, announced in a statement:

“It has been a true honor to tell the story of Margaret Atwood’s groundbreaking novel and chillingly relevant world, and we are thrilled to bring viewers a sixth and final season of. We are grateful to Hulu and MGM for allowing us to tell this story, which, unfortunately, has remained as relevant as ever throughout its run, and are in awe of our incredible fans for their unwavering support, and without whom we never would have gotten to this point.”

As for when fans can bid their goodbyes... there's no release date as of yet.

Who will be in The Handmaid's Tale season 6 cast?

Based on a small snippet posted on the show's social media, we can expect that most of the cast will return for season 6, including:

  • Elisabeth Moss as June Osborne

  • O-T Fagbenle as Luke Bankole

  • Max Minghella as Commander Nick Blaine

  • Bradley Whitford as Commander Joseph Lawrence

  • Yvonne Strahovski as Serena Joy Waterford

  • Ann Dowd as Aunt Lydia

  • Madeline Brewer as Janine

  • Samira Wiley as Moira

  • Amanda Brugel as Rita

Alexis Bledel, who plays Emily, will not be joining for the final season though, as her character was written out during season 5, when it was revealed she returned to Gilead. At the time she issued a statement, saying "After much thought, I felt I had to step away from The Handmaid's Tale at this time. I am forever grateful to Bruce Miller for writing such truthful and resonant scenes for Emily, and to Hulu, MGM, the cast and crew for their support."

Will there be a sequel to The Handmaid's Tale?

Good news! As it turns out, the hit series is getting its own sequel based on Margaret's 2019 novel The Testaments, according to The Hollywood Reporter. It's set 15 years after the 1985 dystopian story.

What happened at the end of The Handmaid's Tale season 5?

Flashback to the season 5 finale cliffhanger, June and Luke (O-T Fagbenle) separated as he turned himself over to Canadian authorities. This moment helped June escape on the refugee train with her youngest daughter, Nichole. In a shocking twist, among the Gilead refugees she found an on-the-run Serena (Yvonne Strahovski) and her newborn, Noah.

Much like the rest of The Handmaid's Tale series, June was left alone to execute an important plan. This time, her mission was to reach Vancouver and, eventually, Hawaii. But who knows, maybe Serena will join her. Meanwhile, Hannah (Jordana Blake) and Janine (Madeline Brewer) appeared ready to rebel and it's certainly left much ground to cover going into season 6.

'the handmaid's tale' season 6 on hulu spoilers
Hulu

Considering readers never see June get a proper ending in the original novel because it continues into The Testaments, folks were curious as to whether the onscreen adaptation could pan out differently. Rest assured, Bruce told Deadline that fans can expect the on-screen sequel to follow the Hulu show's lead, rather than the 1984 novel.

Don't count on June playing a big part in the spinoff, however. "I don’t feel an allegiance to wrap her up the way she’s wrapped up in The Testaments novel. I just want to follow the story and make sure it makes sense," he spilled to the outlet.

Bruce continued: "I think that in the end, just like before we started the show, they had lives. She’s gonna go on and and continue on in whatever way she continues on, and we’re not going to see it. And because we got to see this part so intimately, I feel like you care about what happens to her next, but that’s not this tale."

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Where can I watch and stream The Handmaid's Tale season 6?

Season 6 will stream on Hulu, but for now, you can take a trip into the Gilead universe by streaming seasons 1 through 5 of The Handmaid’s Tale exclusively on Hulu. If you enjoy watching the show on your laptop, you can head over to the Hulu website. Otherwise, you can catch all seasons via the iPhone or Android apps. First-time users can sign up for a month-long free trial. Once the trial expires, you can keep using the service for as low as $6.99 per month.

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