The Handmaid’s Tale has become one of Hulu’s most defining and provocative original series. Since its premiere in 2017, the adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel has captivated audiences with its haunting vision of authoritarian rule, religious extremism, and female resistance.
With its sixth and final season now complete as of May 2025, some fans are wondering: is The Handmaid’s Tale leaving Hulu? And what lies ahead for this powerful franchise?
The short answer: The Handmaid’s Tale is not leaving Hulu, and the story is far from over. In fact, the end of the flagship series marks the beginning of a new chapter in its universe.
The End of a Landmark Series
On May 27, 2025, Hulu aired the final episode of The Handmaid’s Tale Season 6, officially concluding the story of June Osborne—played with fierce nuance by Elisabeth Moss—and her long, painful journey through the dystopian state of Gilead. Over six seasons, the series evolved far beyond its source material, weaving in original storylines and complex character arcs. It tackled difficult subjects like bodily autonomy, motherhood under tyranny, resistance movements, and personal morality in impossible situations.
The final season provided resolution to many of the central character arcs. June, Luke, Serena, Aunt Lydia, and others faced the consequences of their choices, and the world of Gilead showed signs of reckoning. Rather than offer an overly tidy conclusion, the series maintained its tone of bittersweet hope—a characteristic that has defined it from the start.
Is the Series Leaving Hulu?
Despite some online speculation, there are no confirmed plans for The Handmaid’s Tale to leave Hulu. In fact, the platform has reaffirmed its commitment to hosting the full series. As of June 2025, all six seasons are available to stream in their entirety. Given that The Handmaid’s Tale is a Hulu Original, it’s highly unlikely that it will be removed from the service anytime soon.
Streaming platforms occasionally cycle third-party content in and out of their libraries due to licensing deals. However, original programming—especially one as iconic as The Handmaid’s Tale—tends to remain permanently in the host’s archive, barring exceptional circumstances. Hulu has positioned the series as a foundational property, similar to how Netflix treats Stranger Things or HBO does with Game of Thrones.
The Story Isn’t Over: The Testaments Is Coming
While The Handmaid’s Tale has ended, the narrative universe is expanding. Hulu is actively developing a new spinoff series titled The Testaments, based on Margaret Atwood’s 2019 novel of the same name. This sequel takes place approximately 15 years after the events of The Handmaid’s Tale and offers a fresh lens on Gilead’s power structure and eventual decline.
Production for The Testaments began in April 2025, just ahead of the Handmaid’s finale. The spinoff is being helmed by the same creative minds, including Bruce Miller (showrunner of The Handmaid’s Tale) and Margaret Atwood herself as an executive consultant. Elisabeth Moss, while not reprising her role as June, is also involved behind the scenes as an executive producer.
What The Testaments Will Focus On
The Testaments centers on three women whose lives intersect in surprising and pivotal ways:
- Agnes Jemima – Raised in Gilead, she is one of June’s daughters, taken at birth and raised by a high-status family. Her character reflects the internal conflict of someone raised within indoctrination who begins to question everything.
- Daisy – Living in Canada, Daisy is unaware of her true heritage or the role she’s about to play in Gilead’s unraveling. She is eventually revealed to be Nicole, June’s other daughter who was smuggled out of Gilead.
- Aunt Lydia – Played once again by Ann Dowd, Lydia has been one of the series’ most polarizing characters. In The Testaments, her role becomes more complicated as she navigates the balance between power and conscience.
Unlike The Handmaid’s Tale, which focuses heavily on June’s perspective, The Testaments promises a multi-narrative structure. It will explore Gilead from both within and outside its borders, showcasing the ideological fractures, resistance efforts, and systemic decay of the regime.
Returning and New Cast Members
Ann Dowd is confirmed to return as Aunt Lydia, continuing her complex portrayal of a woman shaped by survival instincts and theological dogma. Dowd has expressed excitement about reprising the role in a different context, stating that The Testaments offers “a chance to explore the cracks in Lydia’s armor.”
So far, Hulu has been tight-lipped about other casting announcements, but several industry sources report that casting for Agnes and Daisy has been finalized, with a formal reveal expected by late summer 2025. Bruce Miller has emphasized the importance of casting actors who can carry the weight of the story’s moral and emotional complexities.
Why The Handmaid’s Tale Still Matters
The conclusion of The Handmaid’s Tale marks the end of an era, but its impact is far from fading. The show has always been more than just a dystopian drama—it has served as a cultural touchstone. From reproductive rights to authoritarian overreach, the themes of the show resonate powerfully in today’s global climate.
Its visuals—handmaids in red cloaks and white bonnets—have become symbols of protest in real life. The show’s success demonstrated that political allegory, when grounded in personal stories and emotional authenticity, can resonate with a broad audience.
Streaming Strategy and Long-Term Availability
With The Testaments on the way and continued critical interest in the Handmaid’s universe, Hulu is unlikely to remove the original series. In fact, its continued availability can drive viewers to binge or revisit episodes in preparation for the spinoff. For new fans, it offers a complete journey from beginning to end. For longtime viewers, it serves as a foundation for what’s to come.
Given the industry trend of building long-running franchises out of hit properties—see Yellowstone, The Walking Dead, or Game of Thrones—The Handmaid’s Tale is positioned to remain central to Hulu’s identity for the foreseeable future.