Hulu and the producers of “The Handmaid’s Tale” are reportedly starting to hold discussions about the show’s future and a potential end date for the acclaimed drama.
Right now the show is preparing to return to production for a fifth season with the writers currently ‘breaking’ the season. Over the next few months a decision will be made as to whether this will be the final season.
Part of the plan will be the proposed sequel series “The Testaments” and those involved will have to work out how the main show will feed into it. Jordan Helman, head of scripted content for Hulu Originals, tells Variety:
“At the moment, the writers are working away breaking Season 5. I think what’s really exciting about ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ is that piece, year after year after year, sees viewership growth, unlike anything we’ve ever seen. We’re having conversations right now about what the future of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ holds. Also, how ‘The Testaments’ plays into that kind of larger strategy.
What [executive producers] Bruce [Miller], Warren [Littlefield] and Lizzie [Moss] have delivered for us over the course of the past several years, really warrants a tremendous amount of trust both ways. And so I have the deepest belief that they’re going to come to us with a plan about how much longer the show needs to go on. And I’m certain that that would be a plan that we’re all on the same page about.
If they came to us with the belief that this was the last season, I’m sure that would happen sooner rather than later. But again, there are a lot of conversations surrounding ‘Handmaids,’ especially in regards to how do we onramp ‘The Testaments’ into the larger world of Gilead. And again, it’s front of mind for all of us at Hulu and certainly for the producers.”
While reviews have cooled a bit since its launch in 2017, the series continues to grow in viewership for Hulu and it’s still drawing awards nominations left and right. The most recent fourth season launched in April and concluded back in June with viewership up 32% on the third season.
