'The Handmaid's Tale' Has Been Renewed for a Fifth Season Before Its Fourth Even Airs

It has been six months since The Handmaid's Tale dropped its first teaser for its upcoming fourth season, which, like plenty of other things this year, was postponed until 2021. But, even though new episodes won't bless screens this year, fans of the dystopian series can rejoice at the latest news — because the show has just been renewed for a fifth season.

Yes, even though The Handmaid's Tale's fourth season won't air until sometime next year, it already has an extra batch of episodes beyond that locked in. The news was announced as part of Disney's big 2020 Investor Day, because the Mouse House owns a majority stake in Hulu, the US streaming platform that produces the series.

That means that audiences can look forward to more time with the show's protagonist, June (Elisabeth Moss), following season three's cliffhanger ending. And, it means more of the series' oh-so-relevant dialogue that's full of lines that feel like they could be said today, in reality, in everyday life. Using a deeply dystopian scenario to reflect the modern world has always been one of the acclaimed, award-winning series' strengths, of course. It was true of Margaret Atwood's 1985 book that started it all, too, and it doesn't look likely to change on-screen anytime soon.

So, this tale of rebellion and revolution isn't anywhere near done yet. Toppling a totalitarian society that's taken over the former United States, tearing down its oppression of women under the guise of 'traditional values', and fighting for freedom and equality doesn't happen quickly, after all. If you're wondering what's in store next, June is set to strike back against Gilead and become a fierce rebel leader in season four — but, like everything in this series, that comes with risks and challenges.

Obviously a sneak peek of The Handmaid's Tale's fifth season isn't available yet, and won't be until after its fourth season both airs and finishes – but you can watch (or rewatch) the season four trailer below:

The fourth season of The Handmaid's Tale will hit screens in 2021 — on SBS in Australia — and we'll update you with further details when they're announced. The show's fifth season will air sometime after that, likely in 2022.