'The Handmaid's Tale' Renewed for Sixth and Final Season

Season 5 of the series will premiere with two episodes on Sept. 14.

The Handmaid's Tale officially has an end date. Ahead of the season 5 premiere of the Hulu series, the streaming service announced on Thursday that it has renewed the Margaret Atwood adaptation for a sixth and final season.

"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 The Handmaid’s Tale," Bruce Miller, creator, showrunner and executive producer, said in a press release. "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."

The show, which stars Elisabeth Moss, has won 15 Emmy Awards since its 2017 debut.

"Five years ago, almost to the day, The Handmaid’s Tale made history when it became the first show to win an Emmy for a streaming service," Craig Erwich, President, ABC Entertainment, Hulu & Disney Branded Television Streaming Originals, said. "In the time since, it has been a privilege and pleasure to work with some of the finest creative talent in our industry on this show -- a distinct and exceptional group of people who continue to produce the highest quality television that has made and continues to make significant cultural impact. Bruce, Warren, Lizzie and the entire team at MGM have been amazing partners, and we hope fans enjoy these last two seasons."

The first teaser for season 5 was released in July, followed by the full-length trailer the next month.

Per the season's official logline, season 5 will see June (Moss) face consequences for killing Commander Waterford (Joseph Fiennes) while struggling to redefine her identity and purpose. She'll also be busy working with Luke (O-T Fagbenle) and Moira (Samira Wiley) to fight Gilead from a distance as they continue their mission to save and reunite with Hannah. 

Meanwhile, a widowed Serena (Yvonne Strahovski) will attempt to raise her profile in Toronto as Gilead’s influence creeps into Canada. Elsewhere, Commander Lawrence (Bradley Whitford) will work with Nick (Max Minghella) and Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd) as he tries to reform Gilead and rise in power. 

Alexis Bledel will not return as Emily, following her May announcement that she was exiting the series ahead of season 5.

The cast broke down the season 4 finale in an interview with ET, teasing what's to come when the show picks back up.

"When she does this, I think there’s an incredible release for her," Moss told ET of her character killing Commander Waterford. "But I think at the same time, there’s this feeling of, 'What am I going to do next? Where do I go now?'"

June's choice to get revenge, Fiennes warned, could mean trouble ahead for her. "If you seek to extinguish the thing that troubles you most and you want revenge for at least some sense of justice, there’s the danger that you might become the thing that you destroyed," he said.

Season 5 of The Handmaid's Tale will premiere with two episodes on Hulu Wednesday, Sept. 14.

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