The Testaments, the highly anticipated sequel to the dystopian series The Handmaid’s Tale, announces its full cast and production details. Based on Margaret Atwood’s 2019 novel of the same name, The Testaments is set more than 15 years after the events in the main series. Produced by Bruce Miller and Warren Littlefield, The Handmaid’s Tale‘s lead, Elisabeth Moss, who plays June Osborne, will serve as an executive producer on the spinoff.
Hulu has officially announced The Testaments is moving forward with a photo of the cast, confirming production will start on April 7. In addition to the previously announced stars — Chase Infiniti (Agnes), Lucy Halliday (Daisy), Ann Dowd (reprising her The Handmaid’s Tale role as Aunt Lydia), Rowan Blanchard (Shunammite), Mattea Conforti (Becka) — the cast also adds nine new actors, including Mabel Li, Amy Seimetz, Brad Alexander, Zarrin Darnell-Martin, Eva Foote, Isolde Ardies, Shechinah Mpumlwana, Birva Pandya, and Kira Guloien. Check out the social media post below:
What This Means For The Testaments
June’s Fate Is Kept Under Wraps
While the first BTS photo offers a broad look at the full cast and the characters they’ll be playing, it doesn’t confirm whether Moss will reprise her role in the follow-up series. While June is mentioned in the book, Moss has shared that she isn’t expecting to appear in The Testaments, while adding she wouldn’t reveal the truth if she was featured in the upcoming spinoff, leaving it a mystery. Meanwhile, The Handmaid’s Tale‘s sixth and final season will arrive on April 8, which puts this announcement just ahead of the show’s return.
Related
5 Ways The Testaments TV Show Is Already Different From The Handmaid’s Tale Sequel Book
Margaret Atwood penned The Testaments while Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale was airing, which means the Testaments adaptation will have some differences.
The swift news and the confirmed production start date also suggest that it won’t take very long for the dystopian world of Gilead to return following The Handmaid’s Tale‘s ending. In Atwood’s follow-up novel — which revolves around two young girls, Agnes (June’s daughter) and Daisy, and Aunt Lydia, who is revealed to be a mole for Mayday — the three women recount their journey forging alliances and relationships while fighting for freedom. With production getting underway soon, The Testaments could premiere as early as next year.
Our Take On The Testaments
The Testaments Expands The Story In The Handmaid’s Tale
The Handmaid’s Tale primarily follows June’s point of view and her journey as a handmaid. While the show has offered great insight into the world of Gilead through June’s eyes, there’s so much more left unseen from her perspective. By telling the follow-up story of three different women both inside and outside Gilead, fans can expect a more immersive experience within Atwood’s dystopian world in the upcoming The Handmaid’s Tale sequel.
Originally announced in 2019, the sequel series has taken a long time to come to fruition, but with its official announcement coming right around the time The Handmaid’s Tale is about to return for its final season, it takes off some pressure and sadness around the event. It also serves as a promise that the story of Gilead will continue in The Testaments, which could be heavily teased within the final episodes of The Handmaid’s Tale.
Source: Hulu/X/Twitter