The Fourth Season of the Handmaid’s Tale Is Coming to Hulu.

By Veer Rajput Last updated Mar 26, 2022

The Handmaid’s Tale, based on Margaret Atwood’s popular novel, has become a cultural force since its 2017 launch on Hulu. The Handmaid’s Tale is set in what was formerly the United States and follows June, a handmaid in the new republic of Gilead.

Faced with a global fertility crisis, Gilead’s response has been to coerce fertile women, dubbed handmaids, into conceiving children for the country’s ruling class. The show’s great aesthetics pointed to social criticism, and the diverse ensemble has all been lauded endlessly, garnering it a bevvy of Emmys and other top prizes.

Not only has The Handmaid’s Tale garnered critical acclaim, but the Hulu exclusive has inspired political activists worldwide. Due to the parallels between Gilead and contemporary political difficulties, multiple appearances of red-robed handmaids at marches and other political rallies have occurred.

The programme finished its third season in August 2019, leaving fans eagerly awaiting the resolution to the season finale’s life-or-death cliffhanger. The following is what we currently know about The Handmaid’s Tale season 4.

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When Will the Handmaid’s Tale Season 4 Be Released in the United Kingdom?

Season four of The Handmaid’s Tale will premiere on Channel 4 on Sunday, June 20th at 9 p.m., it has been confirmed.

Season four of The Handmaid’s Tale premiered on Hulu in the United States on April 28th. The first three episodes of the Disney-owned streaming service, however, were released a day early, which came as a surprise to viewers.

A recent confirmation from Channel 4 stated that UK fans would be able to follow Offred’s journey on All 4 ahead of the film’s June release date.

Blessed be the fruit! Series 1-3 of #HandmaidsTale will be available to stream as a box set on All 4 from 31 May. Catch up on Offred’s story so far before the brand new fourth series arrives on Channel 4 in June! pic.twitter.com/DiO6IAKdx1

— Channel 4 Press (@C4Press) May 28, 2021

The Handmaid’s Tale Season 4 Cast

Elisabeth Moss as June Osborne.
Joseph Fiennes as Fred Waterford.
Yvonne Strahovski as Serena Waterford.
Alexis Bledel as Emily Malek.
Madeline Brewer as Janine Lindo.
Amanda Brugel as Rita Blue.
Ann Dowd as Aunt Lydia.
O.T. Fagbenle as Luke Bankole.

How Many Episodes Will There Be in Season 4 of The Handmaid’s Tale?

The Handmaid’s Tale creator Bruce Miller stated in an exclusive interview with IndieWire that, unlike the second and third seasons, season 4 would consist of 10 episodes – the same amount as the show’s debut season. Miller notes that the choice is “100% creative” and that “certain ideas simply appear to shake out as a ten-episode saga.”

Indeed, the decision to reduce the number of episodes may be in response to a recurring theme in reviews of the show’s third season: that it seemed too sluggish and tedious. With the episode count down to a more manageable quantity, the forthcoming season could hopefully remove some of the fat that was causing the programme to drag a little more than necessary.

One approach to do this is to reduce the amount of time spent on the subplots of various characters. Miller stated in the same interview that the shortened run “gives us a bit more leeway because you can rely more on one propulsive aspect,” implying that the primary narrative would not become as diverted in the upcoming season.

What Did Will Happen in Season 4 of The Handmaid’s Tale?

The Handmaid’s Tale, based on Margaret Atwood’s novel of the same name, is set in a dystopian future version of the United States and centres on Gilead, a totalitarian state in which women are compelled to serve as “handmaids” and carry children for the leaders.

June (Elisabeth Moss) assisted a group of children in escaping Gilead via plane at the conclusion of season three but was mortally wounded and dragged away by her fellow handmaids.

Serena Joy also duped her husband Fred Waterford into travelling to Canada to face war crimes charges — but he responded by exposing her own evil activities (and revealing that Nichole is not his biological daughter; her actual father is Nick).

Season four, based on the teaser, appears to continue following Gilead’s burgeoning opposition while also digging into the Waterfords’ tragic aftermath. June’s narrative will not conclude with the forthcoming series, as the programme will return for a fifth season, casting doubt on whether June will make it out of Gilead and into the safe region of Canada.

However, Elisabeth Moss, the show’s actress, recently hinted at June’s ultimate escape, telling The Times that the dystopian drama “cannot leave June in this position where she is tortured constantly.” She added, “It’s dull.”

With June’s revolutionary efforts upending the state of Gilead, Aunt Lydia’s season four prospects seem dim (Ann Dowd). Ann Dowd stated on This Morning that Lydia “has a lot to prove.” “The Commanders cannot wait to lay responsibility on someone other than themselves, and Lydia, of course, is front and centre to accept that guilt, which I’m sure she does,” she explained.

“How was she to miss this? She was oblivious to the fact that the females were behaving suspiciously. I was aware that June was planning something, and sure, I took no action. Thus, I believe she has a great deal to prove.”

Bruce Miller, the series creator, has hinted at a possible bad ending for heroine June. In an interview with TV Guide, he stated: “The people of Toronto are demonstrating to us what June will face if she ever escapes. You’re essentially telling them stories about possible June paths, but it won’t all be sunshine and lollipops.

“We are following June, and June is a resident of Gilead, which is not a pleasant area. And it will remain an unpleasant environment. And we want to be as accurate as possible about what may happen and how things operate.”

Additionally, it appears as though June’s husband, Luke (O-T Fagbenle), would seek vengeance on his wife’s rapist, Fred Waterford. “Oh, I believe his optimism is growing,” the actor told Express about his character.

I believe that now, more than ever, there are symptoms of a fracture in Gilead’s wall.” “And he’s prepared to smash through that,” he continued later. Whitford also intimated in an interview with TV Line that he had no clue which side his character will “fall” on.

“Lawrence is plainly conflicted, and I believe the reason he is is because of Eleanor, his wife — and Julie Dretzin, by the way, was just brilliant… I truly have no idea where he’s going to land. I truly do not. I’m not trying to be cute, and I get a feeling Bruce isn’t sure either, which only adds to June’s terror.”

Will Season 4 Be the Final Season of the Handmaid’s Tale?

Executive producer Warren Littlefield hinted during the Television Critics Association press tour that multiple further seasons of The Handmaid’s Tale might be on the way. The fifth season has been confirmed.

“We did not intend for season four to be the last instalment, but we also look at Margaret [Atwood’s] novel The Testaments and know that the plot takes place 15 years in the future,” he told TV Guide. “We do not see it concluding in [Season 4], and I can honestly state that we do not have a conclusive finish.

However, I believe we should set the bar high, and it would not be a bad thing to leave the audience wanting more before transitioning into The Testaments.”