‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Sequel Gets First Look and Release Date from Disney

The Handmaid’s Tale, the sinister universe first conceived by author Margaret Atwood in 1985 and then brought to the screen in the 2017 TV series of the same name, continues with a sequel titled The Testaments. The series, made under Disney’s umbrella via the Hulu label, is set to premiere in April 2026 on the streamer, and we now have our first look at the show as Disney released the first images from the series at the CCXP film festival in São Paulo, Brazil.

The Testaments stars Chase Infiniti, the young actor who entered the Hollywood spotlight after starring alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in the thriller One Battle After Another. Infiniti will give life to Agnes, June’s daughter in the original series. Agnes is originally named Hannah, but after falling prey to Gilead’s regime, she is given a new name. The character was previously played by Jordana Blake, but The Testaments takes place years after the events of the series led by Elisabeth Moss, making a recast necessary.

The spin-off sequel is based on Atwood’s book first published in 2019. In the book, the story takes place 15 years after the original events, and also features the perspective of Ann Down’s superb character, Aunt Lydia. The series sees Dowd returning to play Gilead’s divisive caretaker, though it hasn’t been revealed if anybody else from the original series will appear in the spin-off.

The Handmaid’s Tale ended its six-season run this year with the release of the final season. The Golden Globe-winning series did its best to conclude June’s storyline, but in the end, there were too many loose ends, and some viewers felt the show lacked a proper resolution. The Testaments will surely work toward that goal, as in the sequel, Gilead is still thriving as an established nation.

What Is ‘The Testaments’ About?

After the TV adaptation became a hit, Atwood took it into consideration when writing The Testaments. However, the follow-up runs on a completely different timeline that’s not affected by how The Handmaid’s Tale ended things. The official synopsis of the sequel reads as follows:

The Testaments is a coming-of-age story that finds a new generation of young women in Gilead grappling with the bleak future that awaits them. For these young women, growing up in Gilead is all they have ever known, having no tangible memories of the outside world prior to their indoctrination into this life. Facing the prospect of being married off and living a life of servitude, they will be forced to search for allies, both new and old, to help in their fight for freedom and the life they deserve.

The Testaments lands on Hulu in April 2026, and stars Infiniti and Dowd alongside Rowan Blanchard, Mabel Li, Amy Seimetz, Brad Alexander, Zarrin Darnell-Martin, Eva Foote, Mattea Confortu, and Lucy Halliday, among others. Moss will executive produce the project alongside original Handmaid’s Tale showrunner Bruce Miller, who actually left the show before the sixth season to focus exclusively on the sequel.