The Testaments: What to Know About Cameos and More in the Handmaid’s Tale Spinoff

Fans are eagerly awaiting Hulu’s spinoff of The Handmaid’s Tale, titled The Testaments. But what details have emerged about the show so far?

Margaret Atwood’s dystopian world first came to life in The Handmaid’s Tale, adapted from her novel depicting a future where declining fertility rates force women into childbearing roles assigned to men. Since the show debuted in 2017, Elisabeth Moss, Yvonne Strahovski, Madeline Brewer, Ann Dowd, O-T Fagbenle, Max Minghella, Samira Wiley, and Amanda Brugel have been a part of the main cast.

The sixth and final season of The Handmaid’s Tale was confirmed prior to the season 5 premiere in September 2022. Creator Bruce Miller transitioned to work on The Testaments while Eric Tuchman and Yahlin Chang were named as executive producers responsible for the day-to-day operations of the flagship series.

“We are concluding our show on our own creative terms,” Miller stated in an interview with Entertainment Weekly in 2022. “Do I know what happens in season 6? Yes, I have pondered the events of that season for quite some time.”

Though The Handmaid’s Tale will come to a close, the grim universe will be explored further in a spinoff set 15 years later. In Atwood’s follow-up novel, penned after the show’s adaptation, three women narrate the story of Gilead after June (Moss) is captured and Aunt Lydia (Dowd) is exposed as a double agent for Mayday.

Continue reading for all you need to know about The Handmaid’s Tale spinoff, The Testaments:

Where Is ‘The Testaments’ Set?

This spinoff is set 15 years after the events of The Handmaid’s Tale. The narrative, presented through Aunt Lydia’s perspective, immerses viewers back into a dystopian future with new characters, including Agnes from Gilead and Daisy from Canada, who secretly gather and transport incriminating evidence against Gilead’s regime. While posing as “Pearl Girls” to discreetly enter Canada, Aunt Lydia serves as an undercover informant within Gilead.

Is ‘The Testaments’ Based on a Book in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Franchise?

The Testaments is a 2019 novel that acts as a sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale. It is structured as a manuscript written by one woman, featuring testimonies from two others, and introduces Us to a group determined to dismantle Gilead from within.

What Is the Vision for the New Series?

As the novel was released in both print and audiobook formats, Dowd reprised her role as Aunt Lydia, narrating the audiobook. Agnes was voiced by Bryce Dallas Howard, while Daisy (Nicole) was portrayed by Mae Whitman. Other notable contributors to the audiobook include Tantoo Cardinal and Derek Jacobi, along with Atwood herself during the epilogue.

Atwood commented, “Though I wasn’t able to continue Offred’s tale, I could carry on the stories of three other characters involved in these events and depict the beginning of the end, knowing that Gilead eventually falls,” she explained at a 2019 event. “I was curious to explore how regimes like Gilead collapse.”

She further added, “In this book, there are new costume choices. Throughout history, people have loved outfits that give insight into a person’s identity, much like team jerseys. Thus, yes, we introduced some new outfits.”

Atwood assured that she kept Miller updated on her ideas as The Handmaid’s Tale approached its conclusion.

“I review the scripts and make notes,” she shared. “I don’t hold any real power, but fortunately, we often see eye to eye.”

When Will the ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ Spinoff Premiere on Hulu?

Previously, it was announced that Hulu and MGM are developing the sequel series; however, the network and studio have not released further updates since. The aim is for The Testaments to make its debut following the completion of The Handmaid’s Tale’s final season in 2025.

Will Characters From ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Make Cameos?

Dowd, set to return as Aunt Lydia, expressed her enthusiasm for the show in an interview with Entertainment Weekly in October 2022. She found the novel “brilliantly written” and “extraordinary” and was eager about her involvement.

There’s hope among fans that Moss will reprise her role as June, especially since her children—Nichole and Hannah (known as Daisy and Agnes in the source material)—are central characters in The Testaments. However, the characters will be significantly older compared to their infancy in The Handmaid’s Tale. Even with worries of June possibly facing her demise in season 6, the show has historically used flashbacks and recordings to bring characters back.