The Handmaid's Tale season 6: Release date, cast, plot, trailer and latest news

"To mark us, they put us in red, the colour of blood. They forgot that it’s also the colour of rage.

"The dress became our uniform. And we became an army."

Previously teasing what's to come, Moss described season 6 (via TVLine) as "big and wild", and that it "goes to many different places, and it is very, very surprising all the way through".

She also told Business Insider that the final outing is "absolutely for the fans".

"It's definitely for our audience. It's definitely for the people that have stuck with us for five seasons, and we're kind of making this one for them," she added.

The cast and crew officially wrapped production this month (February 2025), with OT Fagbenle (Luke) sharing some extremely sweet behind the scenes photos to mark the momentous occasion.

Amanda Brugel (Rita) also shared a video with a very moving caption, emphasising just how much The Handmaid's Tale means to the people who worked on it.

In November last year, we got our first official look at the final instalment, with June on the run after the dramatic events of season 5 (more on that later).

Other images included June cradling Nichole and looking rather pleased with herself, Luke and Moira being walked down a corridor by Rita, Moira (Samira Wiley) with an ominous figure looming behind her, and Serena (Yvonne Strahovski) in what looks to be a dimly lit motel.

But what else can we expect from the final batch of episodes?

Read on for everything you need to know about The Handmaid's Tale season 6.

*Spoilers ahead for The Handmaids Tale season 5*

The Handmaid's Tale season 6 release date: When will it air?

The first three episodes will arrive in the US on Hulu on Tuesday 8th April.

Episodes will then air weekly until the finale on Tuesday 27th May.

The series airs on Channel 4 and Prime Video in the UK, but we don't currently have a release date for either of those.

Will The Handmaid's Tale end with season 6?

Unfortunately, yes.

Season 6 was given the green light back in September 2022 ahead of the season 5 premiere, when it was confirmed that it would be the last season.

"It has been a true honour to tell the story of Margaret Atwood's groundbreaking novel and chillingly relevant world, and we are thrilled to bring viewers a sixth and final season of The Handmaid's Tale," showrunner Bruce Miller said in a press release.

"We are grateful to Hulu and MGM for allowing us to tell this story, which unfortunately has remained as relevant as ever throughout its run, and are in awe of our incredible fans for their unwavering support, and without whom we never would have gotten to this point."

The cast also released the following statement in line with the announcement: "When we started this journey in season 1, we bore no more. In season 2, we reclaimed our name. In season 3, we set ourselves free. In season 4, we prayed together. In season 5, you'll see how some sins can't be washed away.

"And as to season 6, our sixth and final season, well, you'll just have to wait and see. We can't thank you enough for supporting the show over the years. Much love to you all. Under his eye."

The Handmaid's Tale season 6 cast news: Who's returning?

The main cast for season 6 is as follows:

• Elisabeth Moss as June Osborne
• Yvonne Strahovski as Serena Joy Waterford
• Bradley Whitford as Commander Lawrence
• Max Minghella as Nick
• Ann Dowd as Aunt Lydia
• O-T Fagbenle as Luke
• Samira Wiley as Moira
• Madeline Brewer as Janine
• Amanda Brugel as Rita
• Sam Jaeger as Mark Tuello
• Ever Carradine as Naomi Lawrence (née Putnam)
• Josh Charles as TBC

The Handmaid's Tale season 6 plot: What could happen?

"In the final season, June's unyielding spirit and determination pull her back into the fight to take down Gilead," reads The official logline.

"Luke and Moira join the resistance, Serena tries to reform Gilead while Commander Lawrence and Aunt Lydia reckon with what they have wrought, and Nick faces challenging tests of character.

"This final chapter of June’s journey highlights the importance of hope, courage, solidarity, and resilience in the pursuit of justice and freedom.

Speaking about his hopes for the final season, Miller said (via Business Insider): "I just want it to be a solid season. But I also have been watching other shows end successfully or unsuccessfully, and I've got to take those lessons.

"I just want every episode to be solid, and therefore I want every scene to be solid. And that's all I'm thinking about. And if it doesn't feel like the finale of a show, that's okay. The beginning of it didn't feel like the beginning of a show either."

At the end of season 5, June and Serena crossed paths on a train heading to Vancouver – and hopefully onwards to Hawaii – which raises questions about what their dynamic will look like in the next chapter. Will they find themselves working together?

"When we played out Serena's story, it seemed so logical, given June's story, that they'd probably end up in the same place," Miller told The Hollywood Reporter. "They're both trying to anonymously flee Toronto among a crowd of people. How many options do you have?

"I thought this is where Serena would end up before I thought this was where June would end up. It did feel like they were not running toward each other but running toward the same spot."

But while June is currently free, Luke was captured after handing himself in to spare her and Nichole – although we know that he manages to escape and joins the resistance.

There's also Nick, who found himself in hot water after assaulting Commander Lawrence. And his pregnant wife has also chosen to distance herself from him.

"[With] Nick, the problem is he tries to stay out of trouble, and now he can't because the thing that's pulling him back to trouble is June," Miller told Entertainment Weekly.

"I feel like this is the most romantic Nick/June season ever because they spend the whole time trying to convince themselves that they don't need to be together. And by the end, they are not successful at all, they fail entirely... but they're so in love, they can't think about anything else."

And we can't forget Janine, who has been taken by The Eyes, leaving Aunt Lydia heartbroken.

"Janine is channeling her inner June, and look at the consequences," Miller told EW.

"But being picked up by The Eyes can mean a lot of things. They have for a long time wanted Janine to be useful and reproductive, and if she isn't doing that at the Red Centre, they will move her somewhere else. And they're not very polite about it.

"But she also could just get pulled out and shot in the middle of the street. It's that kind of place."

The Handmaid's Tale season 6 trailer: Can I watch it?

The official trailer has yet to be released, but the teaser trailer has just dropped.

Enjoy it below.

The Handmaid's Tale airs on Channel 4 and Prime Video in the UK – you can sign up now for a free 30-day Prime Video trial.

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