After it was announced that a spinoff to The Handmaid's Tale was in the works, there have been a lot of updates surrounding The Testaments' cast and story details. Set 15 years after The Handmaid's Tale, The Testaments is the second book in the franchise and follows the perspectives of three women, (Aunt Lydia, Agnes Jemima, and Daisy), who recount what happened to Gilead after June Osborne was taken by "the Eyes". After it is revealed that Aunt Lydia was a mole for Mayday, these three women soon band together and try to bring the regime down from the inside.

Written by Margaret Atwood, the second novel in The Handmaid's Tale franchise is full of thought-provoking subplots and continues to engage with topics, such as the repression of women, the loss of agency, and the abuse of power. However, given that Hulu's adaptation of The Handmaid's Tale has changed the fate of several characters and added its own artistic liberties, viewers should expect The Testaments to do the same as the writers try to keep the story consistent. Though details were initially scant, key information is finally arriving.

The Testaments Latest News

The Spinoff Gets The Green Light & More Cast Is Announced

After many months of development behind-the-scenes, the latest news confirms that The Testaments has been given the green light by Hulu. While there was little doubt that the spinoff would see the light of day, Hulu's official series order allows things to finally take the next step. The Handmaid's Tale off-shoot is set to begin filming on April 7, 2025, though an exact production timeline remains elusive for now.

The green light also came with the addition of nine new cast who will Chase Infiniti, Lucy Halliday , Ann Dowd, Rowan Blanchard, and Mattea Conforti who were already announced. The newcomers include Mabel Li, Amy Seimetz, Brad Alexander, Zarrin Darnell-Martin, Eva Foote, Isolde Ardies, Shechinah Mpumlwana, Birva Pandya, and Kira Guloien, but their roles remain unknown for now. Hulu shared an image of X (formerly Twitter) showcasing the cast at a table read for the new series.

The sixth and final season of The Handmaid's Tale premieres April 8, 2025.

The Testaments Is Confirmed

The Handmaid's Tale Spinoff Has Finally Scored A Green Light

As reported in September 2019, there were rumors that Hulu and MGM TV were working on getting The Testaments developed into a series. While there were not a lot of details released about it then, attention turned back to the spinoff in March 2023 when Bruce Miller announced that he was stepping down as The Handmaid's Tale head showrunner to focus more on the project.

With The Handmaid's Tale preparing to bow out in the early months of 2025, all eyes will turn to the development of the spinoff. Though details began emerging before the show was official, Hulu gave The Testaments a green light in April 2025, which allowed things to move forward at last. Production begins in April 2025, though a release timeline is unknown for now. 2025 seems a bit too early for the spinoff to arrive, but an early 2026 release is plausible.

The Testaments Cast Details

Ann Dowd Will Reprise Her Role As Aunt Lydia

Unsurprisingly, Ann Dowd is the only cast member of The Handmaid's Tale confirmed to be appearing in The Testaments as she is set to reprise her role as Aunt Lydia. Since then, Chase Infiniti (Presumed Innocent) has been cast in a lead role, but details about her character are unknown for now. Lucy Halliday (Blue Jean) will play June's daughter, Daisy, who is a crucial figure in the novel. ing them is Girl Meets World star Rowan Blachard, who will play pampered Gilead teen, Shunammite and Mattea Conforti (Frozen 2) as Becka.

The ensemble exploded with the addition of nine new stars in April 2024, but none of their roles have been announced yet. The newcomers include Mabel Li (Safe Home), Amy Seimetz (Pet Sematary), Brad Alexander (You), Zarrin Darnell-Martin (Snowbound for Christmas), Eva Foote (Sally), Isolde Ardies (Wayward), Shechinah Mpumlwana (13: The Musical), Birva Pandya (Northern Rescue), and Kira Guloien (Lullaby).

The confirmed cast of The Testaments includes:

Which Handmaid's Tale Characters Could Return

Will June Appear In The Spinoff?

With the spinoff supposedly set 15 years after the events of the first novel, it's highly likely that many characters in The Handmaid's Tale will appear in The Testaments. While Ann Dowd is already confirmed to be returning as Aunt Lydia, fans should also expect to see June's children, Nichole and Hannah (Daisy and Agnes in the book), return too, as they are also the protagonists of The Testaments. However, expect them to be played by different and older actors.

There's a possibility that Elisabeth Moss' June could make a brief appearance, since the end of the sequel novel sees "Daisy/Nicole" and "Agnes" reunited with their mother. Even if the writers decide to kill off June in season 6, there's still a chance that she could return in flashback scenes or record a message for them (just like she did for Luke in season 3, episode 5 "Unknown Caller").

The Testaments Story Details

What Happens In The Testaments?

While it's unclear if the television adaptation of The Testaments will follow the same timeline, the story is meant to take place 15 years after the events of The Handmaid's Tale. Instead of following June Osborne (otherwise known as Offred), the story is told from the perspective of three women: the infamous Aunt Lydia, who is revealed to be a spy for Mayday, Agnes Jemima, and Daisy (whose real name is Nichole). Although their stories begin in different places, they are enlisted by Mayday and tasked with helping the rebellious group bring down Gilead from the inside.

Considering that season 3 of The Handmaid's Tale had just finished by the time Atwood's sequel novel was released in 2019, the writers had to come up with new ways for The Handmaid's Tale to set up The Testaments. It took longer than expected, but the season 5 finale did hint that Aunt Lydia's loyalty towards Gilead is waning after witnessing the horrific treatment Esther Keyes (Mckenna Grace) and Janine experienced at the hands of the Commanders. With The Handmaid's Tale about to enter the final season, viewers will likely see Aunt Lydia become the rebellious figure they know in The Testaments.