Everything to Know About The Handmaid's Tale Season 6

It's been three years since we last caught up with June (Elisabeth Moss) and co. in their struggle against the forces of Gilead, a delay that largely came about as a result of the tandem writers' and actors' strikes in 2023. But it's a new year, and the sixth and final season of The Handmaid's Tale is now, at long last, just around the corner.

While the show could be difficult and painful to watch at times, the drama became a worldwide hit, garnering Emmy and Golden Globe awards for both the series and its lead Elisabeth 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.

More on Hulu:

• Best shows on Hulu
• Best movies on Hulu

The Handmaid's Tale latest news

We finally have our first real teaser for Season 6 of The Handmaid's Tale, which has finished filming and has an actual premiere date: April 8. And you should check out the trailer below as soon as you're able — it's pretty dramatic, unsurprisingly.

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."

[Spoilers for the book follow.] The Hulu series is based on the 1985 book of the same name by Margaret Atwood. 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 has expanded it significantly over the years — 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. He will remain as a writer and executive producer for Season 6, but he has passed on his duties to Eric Tuchman and Yahlin Chang, who were previously executive producers.)

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 (yet to be cast) — 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.