'The Handmaid's Tale' Season 5 Release Time and Episode Guide

After almost two years of waiting, season 5 of The Handmaid's Tale is nearly here.

Set to premiere on Wednesday, the award-winning dystopian series based on the 1985 novel of the same name by Margaret Atwood, will see June (Elisabeth Moss) deal with the murder of her commander, Fred Waterford (Joseph Fiennes), and potentially, face the consequences of her crimes.

The Handmaid's Tale season 4 finale saw June strike a deal with agent Mark Tuello (Sam Jaeger), Commander Joseph Lawrence (Bradley Whitford) and Commander Nick Blaine (Max Minghella) to exchange Fred Waterford for the release of 22 women of the resistance.

However, instead of taking Fred back to Gilead, Lawrence, Tuello and Blaine returned him to June at the Canadian border, where she and her fellow handmaids ruthlessly beat him to death.

Now, in season 5, June faces the wrath of Fred Waterford's widow, Serena Joy (Yvonne Strahovski).

Newsweek has everything you need to know about season 5 of The Handmaid's Tale including release time, episode air dates, and more.

When Is The Handmaid's Tale Season 5 Out?

Season 5 of The Handmaid's Tale will premiere on Wednesday exclusively on Hulu.

The series will drop on the streaming platform at 12:01 a.m. ET.

To watch The Handmaid's Tale, you must be a Hulu customer. You can sign up for the streaming service now for $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year.

In the U.K., The Handmaid's Tale will air on Channel 4 but unfortunately, at the moment, a release date has not yet been announced.

The Handmaid's Tale Season 5 Episode Guide

Fans of The Handmaid's Tale are in for a treat when the show premiers on Wednesday.

The first two episodes of the new series will drop on the same day, meaning fans get a double dose of The Handmaid's Tale.

The bad news is that the remaining eight episodes will air just once a week, dropping every Wednesday on Hulu if season 5 follows the release pattern of the previous seasons.

Newsweek has the full list of episode release dates below so you do not miss a thing:

• Episode 1: Wednesday, September 14
• Episode 2: Wednesday, September 14
• Episode 3: Wednesday, September 21
• Episode 4: Wednesday, September 28
• Episode 5: Wednesday, October 5
• Episode 6: Wednesday, October 12
• Episode 7: Wednesday, October 19
• Episode 8: Wednesday, October 26
• Episode 9: Wednesday, November 2
• Episode 10: Wednesday, November 9

Who Will Star in The Handmaid's Tale Season 5?

Elisabeth Moss has reprised her role of June in season 5 of The Handmaid's Tale.

For her portrayal of June, Moss won a Primetime Emmy Award for best lead actress in 2017.

Also, returning for season 5 are Dexter's Yvonne Strahovski as Serena Joy Waterford and The First Lady's O.T. Fagbenle as Luke Bankole.

Orange is the New Black's Samira Wiley returns as Moira Strand, and The Social Network's Max Minghella is back as Commander Nick Blaine.

Fans can also expect to see the return of Bradley Whitford as Commander Joseph Lawrence, Ann Dowd as Aunt Lydia Clements, Madeline Brewer as Janine Lindo, Amanda Brugel as Rita Blue, Sam Jaeger as Mark Tuello, and Jordana Blake as Hannah Bankole.

There will also be some new faces in The Handmaid's Tale season 5 including Upload's Christine Ko as Lily, a Gilead refugee and former Martha who is now a resistance leader in Canada.

The Afterparty's Genevieve Angelson will take on the role of Gladys Wheeler, an admirer of Serena Joy and supporter of Gilead.

Sadly, Alexis Bledel will not be returning as Emily/Ofglen for the new season of The Handmaid's Tale.

She announced her departure from the series in May 2022. In her statement, Bledel said: "After much thought, I felt I had to step away from The Handmaid's Tale at this time.

"I am forever grateful to Bruce Miller for writing such truthful and resonant scenes for Emily, and to Hulu, MGM, the cast and crew for their support."

The Handmaid's Tale season 5 airs Wednesdays at 12.01 a.m. ET on Hulu.