Everything to Know About The Handmaid's Tale Season 6

There's no shortage of emotionally challenging television these days, but few shows hit home quite like The Handmaid's Tale, which imagines a dystopian version of the USA ruled by an evangelical iron fist. And after it's taken so long for the end to arrive — the sixth and final season was delayed significantly by the dual actors and writers strikes of 2023 — the last stretch of episodes may hit harder than we expect when Elisabeth Moss and the rest of the cast finally return.

While the show could be difficult and painful to watch, the drama became an instant worldwide hit, garnering Emmy and Golden Globe awards for both the series and star Moss. And since the fifth season ended in the fall of 2022, many fans have been wondering when The Handmaid's Tale Season 6 release date will be announced, as it will be the final season in this epic storyline.

While the final season of The Handmaid's Tale is on the horizon, we don't have too many details yet, but we'll outline everything we do know so far, including who will lead Season 6, what the final season might be about, and when to expect it to premiere on Hulu.

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The Handmaid's Tale latest news

"For years, we've been afraid of them. Now, it's time for them to be afraid of us." That's the line that starts off the final trailer for the final season of The Handmaid's Tale, which gives us glimpses at just about everyone who matters on this show as it builds to a rebellious crescendo — the revolution in Gilead is looking like a very violent one.

This trailer gives us a good look at Josh Charles' mysterious new character — who looks pretty cozy with Serena, and who's wearing the clothing of a Gilead commander. It seems as though he might not be a good person, but who knows? There's not a lot of context here.

The Handmaid's Tale Season 6 release date

The Handmaid's Tale Season 6 will hold its three-episode premiere on April 8, 2025 on Hulu, with the remaining seven episodes dropping weekly from there. The final episode will arrive on May 27.

What will The Handmaid's Tale Season 6 be about?

Along with that teaser trailer and premiere date, Hulu also offered a few more clues about where we're heading in Season 6 with an official logline: "In the final season of The Handmaid's Tale, June's unyielding spirit and determination pull her back into the fight to take down Gilead. Luke and Moira join the resistance. Serena tries to reform Gilead while Commander Lawrence and Aunt Lydia reckon with what they have wrought, and Nick faces challenging tests of character. This final chapter of June's journey highlights the importance of hope, courage, solidarity, and resilience in the pursuit of justice and freedom."

Don't expect the Hulu series, which is based on the 1985 book of the same name by Margaret Atwood, to take its ending from the book, at least not directly — the scope of the series has become far larger than the novel's. The book ends without much resolution: Offred (whose real name was never revealed) is taken away in a van. Both she and the readers are unsure if she will be escaping Gilead or be captured for her forbidden relationships with the Commander and his driver Nick. The series followed the storyline of its source material closely in Season 1, but we're years past the ending of the book at this point — which means the show's ending probably won't be anything like that of the book.

In the show, Season 5 ended with June and Serena Joy en route to Vancouver with their babies. The biggest question fans will be looking to have answered in Season 6 is whether June will be able to truly escape Gilead once and for all.

"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 storylines for Season 6. She added that in the final season, "the fight is not just about one individual." However, she warns that viewers shouldn't expect a picture-perfect resolution: "I don't think we feel an obligation to tie up the entire story of Gilead," she said.

"We are ending our show on our own creative terms," showrunner Bruce Miller told EW when the Season 5 finale aired. "Do I know what happens in Season 6? Yes, I did think about the stuff that happens in Season 6 for a while."

(Of note, Miller stepped down as showrunner, as reported by Variety in March 2023, to focus on developing the sequel series The Testaments, also for Hulu. Miller will also remain as a writer and executive producer for Season 6, but he has passed on his showrunning duties to Eric Tuchman and Yahlin Chang, who were previously executive producers.)

The Handmaid's Tale Season 6 teaser

Before the trailer up at the top of this article, we got another, smaller teaser for Season 6 of The Handmaid's Tale in February, which you can watch below.

Who will be in The Handmaid's Tale Season 6?

It's likely that Alexis Bledel, who played Emily (Ofglen), will not be in the final season of The Handmaid's Tale, as she left the series ahead of Season 5. Ever Carradine, who plays Naomi, was upped to series regular between seasons. We expect everyone else in the main cast to return. 

In late July 2024, Josh Charles was announced as a series regular, though the details on his role were not disclosed. 

The Handmaid's Tale main cast:

• Elisabeth Moss as June Osborne
• Yvonne Strahovski as Serena Joy Waterford
• Madeline Brewer as Janine Lindo
• Ann Dowd as Aunt Lydia
• O-T Fagbenle as Luke Bankole
• Max Minghella as Commander Nick Blaine
• Samira Wiley as Moira Strand
• Bradley Whitford as Commander Joseph Lawrence
• Sam Jaeger as Mark Tuello
• Amanda Brugel as Rita Blue
• Ever Carradine as Naomi Lawrence
• Josh Charles

The Handmaid's Tale spin-off The Testaments

As of mid-February 2025, Hulu is closing in on an order for The Testaments, a spin-off based on Atwood's prize-winning sequel novel that will take place 15 years after the events of The Handmaid's Tale, reports Deadline. Ann Dowd would star, reprising her role as Aunt Lydia in a story about three women — Lydia, Agnes (Presumed Innocent's Chase Infiniti), and Daisy (Lucy Halliday) — who become intertwined after learning the secrets of Gilead and the resistance. Moss could guest star as June, and creator Bruce Miller would run the show, just as he did on The Handmaid's Tale.

Where to watch The Handmaid's Tale

Seasons 1-5 of The Handmaid's Tale are available to stream on Hulu.