Blessed be the fruit, “Handmaid’s Tale” fans: Hulu is developing “The Testaments,” Margaret Atwood’s forthcoming sequel to her best-selling dystopian novel, the streaming service said on Wednesday.
Hulu and “Handmaid’s Tale” studio MGM Television are currently in discussions with Bruce Miller — the showrunner/creator of Hulu’s award-winning small-screen adaptation of Atwood’s original novel — about how the upcoming sequel book “can become an important extension” to the flagship series, which stars Elisabeth Moss.
“The Testaments,” due out Sept. 10, picks up more than 15 years after the events of Atwood’s original novel, which was published in 1985.
The development of “The Testaments” marks the third collaboration between Atwood and MGM Television, as the studio produces Hulu’s “Handmaid’s Tale” and previously acquired the rights to the author’s 2015 novel “The Heart Goes Last,” which tells the story of a young couple who have been hit by job loss and bankruptcy in the midst of a nationwide economic collapse.
“Margaret Atwood is a literary icon who continues to delight and challenge readers through her provocative and compelling prose,” said Steve Stark, president of Television Production at MGM. “She has been an incredible creative partner and resource to MGM throughout the production of Handmaid’s and we look forward to working with her on the story’s exciting next chapter.”
“Margaret Atwood is one of the visionary storytellers of her generation. From her award-winning poetry, short-stories and novels, Margaret has continually pushed boundaries and broken barriers to bring innovative stories to life,” added Craig Erwich, senior vice president of Originals, Hulu.
Hulu renewed “The Handmaid’s Tale” for Season 4 in July, ahead of its third season finale last month. Read our interview with Miller about the Season 3 cliffhanger here.