Handmaid’s Tale Season 5 News & Updates: Everything We Know

Warning: Contains SPOILERS from The Handmaid’s Tale season 4, episode 10, “The Wilderness.”

Here’s what to expect from The Handmaid’s Tale season 5, including its possible release date and what its story might involve. After an absence of almost two years, The Handmaid’s Tale season 4 started airing on Hulu in April 2021. Over the course of its season, it’s delivered some of the biggest twists and most surprising changes to the show so far.

Chief among them is June’s escape to Canada, a move that has long been coming, but often seemed like it may never happen. It’s a development that has flipped the show on its head, since viewers now primarily follow that storyline instead of Gilead, and June’s story north of the border should continue to shape The Handmaid’s Tale in season 5 and beyond. Similarly, season 4 brought major changes for most of its other characters too, especially the Waterfords – with Fred’s death in the finale, one of the show’s biggest moments ever, then that will continue to reverberate in season 5.

June may no longer be Offred and may no longer be in Gilead, but her story and fight is far from over. As she continues to deal with the trauma of her years in Gilead, as well as the continued struggle to save Hannah, then there’s plenty more to explore. Here’s what’s known about The Handmaid’s Tale season 5.

The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5 Renewal

Unsurprisingly, The Handmaid’s Tale has been renewed for season 5. The confirmation of the renewal was announced back in December 2020, a few months ahead of the season 4 premiere, which speaks to its position as Hulu’s flagship show. Showrunner Bruce Miller previously told THR that the show will run for as long as Elisabeth Moss wants to star, so The Handmaid’s Tale season 5 might not be its final renewal.

The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5 Release Date

The Handmaid’s Tale season 4 was significantly delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, with an almost two-year gap from the end of season 3 to the beginning of season 4. With restrictions lifting, then production should be more straightforward on The Handmaid’s Tale season 5. Assuming that filming is able to begin in late-2021, then it’s not impossible The Handmaid’s Tale could release in April 2022, since Spring is its preferred time for release, or at least Summer 2022, since season 3 also debuted in June.

The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5 Cast

It’s likely that the core cast will return for The Handmaid’s Tale season 5, which will once again be led by Elisabeth Moss as June Osborne. Alongside Moss, then season 5 should also feature the other main actors back, including: Ann Dowd as Aunt Lydia, Yvonne Strahovski as Serena Joy Waterford, O. T. Fagbenle as Luke Bankole, Samira Wiley as Moira Strand, Madeline Brewer as Janine Lindo, Max Minghella as Nick Blaine, and Alexis Bledel as Emily Malek. Whether any of The Handmaid’s Tale season 4’s new cast and characters, such as McKenna Grace’s Esther Keyes, return as well remains to be seen. The season 4 finale killed off Joseph Fiennes’ Fred Waterford, though he could still return in flashbacks.

The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5 Story Details

The Handmaid’s Tale season 4 brought with it some of the biggest changes to the status quo in the show’s history, as June escaped to Canada, while Fred was killed her. Alongside those, Aunt Lydia’s possible future working for (or against) Gilead was called into question, as were Commander Lawrence’s true motives. All of those should continue in The Handmaid’s Tale season 5’s story, which can fully explore the fallout from Fred’s death and what happens now to June, who has said goodbye to Luke and Nichole for the time being. Similarly, there’s the question of what happens to Serena Joy, and just what future she has without Fred. The ongoing fate of Hannah is likely to be a pertinent plot thread too, while it can also setup a possible show based on The Testaments, and, of course, the eventual fall of Gilead.

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