The upcoming sixth and final season of The Handmaid’s Tale has brought the show back into the spotlight, and with its unfortunate continued relevance to current events, the Hulu series is reminding fans of a sequel that has been in the works since 2019. The sequel, titled The Testaments, is based on Margaret Atwood’s 2018 novel of the same name, which is a sequel to her 1985 classic The Handmaid’s Tale.

The Testaments takes place 15 years after the events of The Handmaid’s Tale and is set in the same dystopian realm of Gilead. The story is narrated by Aunt Lydia, a character from the original series played by Ann Dowd, who won an Emmy for her portrayal. The new series will follow the lives of three women, including Aunt Lydia, Agnes, and Daisy, as they navigate the secrets of Gilead and the resistance against its oppressive regime.

In 2021, Ann Dowd confirmed that she would be reprising her role as Aunt Lydia in The Testaments. Recently, it was announced that young actress Lucy Halliday has joined the cast as Daisy, completing the trio of leads alongside Dowd and Chase Infiniti as Agnes. Bruce Miller, the creator and showrunner of The Handmaid’s Tale, will also be at the helm of The Testaments.

According to Deadline, The Testaments will explore the lives of the three main characters as they become intertwined in their quest to uncover the secrets of Gilead. While there is no confirmation on whether Elisabeth Moss, the lead of The Handmaid’s Tale, will guest-star in the sequel, it is possible that she may appear, although her character’s fate in the original series has not yet been determined.

The story of The Testaments is set to take place in a Gilead that is still deeply oppressive towards women, 15 years after the events of the original series. As the final season of The Handmaid’s Tale approaches, with a premiere date set for April 8, fans are left wondering if they will be eager to dive back into this world nearly a decade after the original series began. While there is no official release date for The Testaments yet, the upcoming final season of The Handmaid’s Tale is sure to generate plenty of buzz.

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