Hulu will premiere the first three episodes of its sequel series The Testaments on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, with additional episodes rolling out weekly, according to Variety. The new series adapts Margaret Atwood’s (Charlotte’s Castle, The Colour Of Ink) 2019 novel and continues the dystopian story introduced in The Handmaid’s Tale, expanding the franchise following the original show’s six-season run.
The Testaments broadens the world of Gilead by shifting focus to a new generation of characters while continuing to explore the long-term consequences of the totalitarian regime. Following the conclusion of The Handmaid’s Tale in 2025, the sequel series remains set within the same universe, examining how resistance movements and personal reckonings evolve in the aftermath of earlier events.
Ann Dowd (Hereditary, Compliance) is set to reprise her role as Aunt Lydia, returning as one of the franchise’s most complex and controversial figures. She is joined by cast members Chase Infiniti (Presumed Innocent, One Battle After Another), Lucy Halliday (Blue Jean, California Schemin’), Rowan Blanchard (Girl Meets World, Snowpiercer), and others who will anchor the next chapter of the story. According to Variety, the narrative structure will interweave multiple perspectives, combining familiar elements of the franchise with new characters navigating life inside and outside of Gilead’s control.
The release announcement builds on previous coverage from mxdwn, including earlier reporting that offered new insight into The Testaments and how the sequel would depart from the original series’ timeline and narrative approach. Alongside coverage of commentary from the cast and creative team of The Handmaid’s Tale regarding the show’s final season and how its ending was designed to transition into the sequel’s thematic direction.
Scheduled for an April debut, The Testaments arrives less than a year after The Handmaid’s Tale concluded, positioning the series as a direct continuation rather than a distant spin-off. Hulu’s decision to launch with three episodes before shifting to a weekly release schedule suggests a strategy focused on sustained viewer engagement throughout the spring television season.
As anticipation builds, The Testaments is poised to return the world of Gilead to mainstream television conversation, offering new storylines while continuing the franchise’s exploration of power, resistance, and survival.