The Testaments: Everything We Know About the Handmaid’s Tale Sequel Series—Release Date, Cast & Plot

Hulu’s highly anticipated drama The Testaments—the official sequel to the Emmy-winning The Handmaid’s Tale—is now in full production, setting the stage for a new chapter in Margaret Atwood’s dystopian universe. Cameras began rolling on 7 April, and the streamer confirmed a sweeping cast list anchored by Emmy winner Ann Dowd’s return as the formidable Aunt Lydia, with Elisabeth Moss stepping in as executive producer alongside creator-showrunner Bruce Miller. Release-date buzz: while Hulu has not stamped an exact premiere, industry insiders point to a mid-to-late 2026 launch, following the final season wrap of The Handmaid’s Tale this spring. That window positions the sequel squarely in awards-season contention and gives the creative team ample time for the large-scale world-building the story demands. Cast and characters • Chase Infiniti plays Agnes (better known to Handmaid fans as June’s daughter Hannah), whose sheltered Gilead upbringing collides with growing doubts about her future. • Lucy Halliday portrays Daisy, the Canadian teen shocked to learn of her ties to the oppressive republic. • Rowan Blanchard, Mattea Conforti and newcomer Mabel Li headline a next-gen ensemble navigating Gilead’s brutal marriage season pressures. • Director Mike Barker, a veteran of both The Handmaid’s Tale and Fargo, will helm the first three episodes, promising a visual continuity with the flagship series. Plot expectations Set roughly 15 years after June Osborne’s initial uprising, The Testaments shifts focus to three female narrators—Agnes, Daisy/Nicole and Aunt Lydia—whose converging journeys expose cracks in Gilead’s patriarchal armor. Hulu describes the tone as a “coming-of-age struggle for freedom,” hinting at covert alliances, underground resistance networks and a deeper look at the sinister Aunt hierarchy. Fans can also anticipate storylines bridging unanswered questions from The Handmaid’s Tale finale and expanding on Atwood’s 2019 novel, which won the Booker Prize. Why it matters • Franchise momentum: The Handmaid’s Tale helped establish Hulu as a prestige drama powerhouse in 2017. The Testaments extends that subscriber-magnet legacy and could repeat the awards-sweep precedent. • Timely themes: Reproductive rights, authoritarian creep and inter-generational activism keep the narrative culturally relevant, fueling think-piece coverage and social-media chatter each time casting or production news drops. • Global appeal: Atwood’s novel has sold over three million copies worldwide, giving the adaptation a baked-in international audience and strong export potential. Production insights Filming is currently based in Toronto, leveraging tax incentives and familiar Handmaid’s Tale sets to recreate Gilead’s ominous skyline. Early behind-the-scenes stills tease upgraded costumes—look for a darker, more militaristic Paler Blue for the new generation of Aunts—and a broadened color palette symbolizing the regime’s evolving propaganda machine. SEO snapshot: viewers searching for “The Testaments release date,” “The Testaments cast list,” or “Handmaid’s Tale sequel plot” should keep an eye on official Hulu social channels and summer 2025 Comic-Con panels for the first teaser trailer, while post-production updates are expected to land early next year. Bottom line With cameras rolling, a star-studded ensemble locked and a seasoned creative team at the helm, The Testaments is poised to become Hulu’s next prestige juggernaut. Expect a fresh lens on Gilead, high-stakes family reunions and the same chilling resonance that made its predecessor a cultural lightning rod.