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The Handmaid's Tale Season 5 now has a release date—and an official plot synopsis.
The Hulu show based on the Margaret Atwood novel is set to return this fall, and will pick up after the dramatic events of the last finale, after the former handmaids chased down Commander Waterford (played by Joseph Fiennes) into the woods and killed him.
Elisabeth Moss will be back as June for Season 5, but the new episodes will be missing one main cast member who has announced they have left the show.
Here's what we know so far about Season 5 of The Handmaid's Tale.
When is The Handmaid's Tale Season 5 Coming Out?
The Hulu show's official release date is Wednesday, September 14, when the first episodes of the new season will come to the streamer.
On that day, Hulu will release the first two episodes of Season 5 at 3 a.m. ET / midnight PT. After that time, episodes will air weekly, though the streamer has not revealed exactly how many episodes will be in the new season.
Who Is In The Cast of The Handmaid's Tale Season 5?
At time of writing, the only confirmed cast members for Season 5 are Elisabeth Moss as June Osbourne, Yvonne Strahovski as Serena Waterford, Bradley Whitford as Joseph Lawrence, Ann Dowd as Lydia Clements, O. T. Fagbenle as Luke Bankole and Samira Wiley as Moira Strand.
The first two characters were featured in the first images Hulu released from the new episodes, while the rest were mentioned in the official Season 5 plot synopsis.
One other cast member is definitely not returning. In May 2022, Emily Malek actor Alexis Biedel confirmed that she had exited The Handmaid's Tale.
Season 5 was announced by Hulu in December 2020, in a video featuring most of the main cast of the show. Among those appearing in the video were Moss, Strahovski, Fagbenle, Wiley, Whitford and Dowd alongside Madeline Brewer (who plays Janine Lindo), Max Minghella (Nick Blaine), and Amanda Brugel (Rita Blue).
This seems to confirm that those additional actors will all appear in the new episodes, though as Biedel also appears in the video alongside Fiennes, this is not a full confirmation.
What Is The Handmaid's Tale Season 5 About?
The official Hulu logline for the season reads: "June faces consequences for killing Commander Waterford while struggling to redefine her identity and purpose. The widowed Serena attempts to raise her profile in Toronto as Gilead's influence creeps into Canada.
"Commander Lawrence works with Aunt Lydia as he tries to reform Gilead and rise in power. June, Luke and Moira fight Gilead from a distance as they continue their mission to save and reunite with Hannah."
Is There a Trailer for The Handmaid's Tale Season 5?
At time of writing, no. Hulu, however, has released two new The Handmaid's Tale images: One featuring an unhappy-looking June, and another featuring a less-unhappy Serena in her widow clothes.
When is the Season 5 trailer coming out? The last season trailer was released by Hulu at the end of February 2021, two months before the first episodes were released. If Season 5 follows that trend, we should expect a trailer in mid-July.
The Handmaid's Tale Seasons 1 to 4 are streaming now on Hulu.
