‘The Testaments’ Nears Hulu Greenlight; Chase Infiniti Joins Ann Dowd As Co-Lead Of ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ Prequel From Bruce Miller & Warren Littlefield

EXCLUSIVE: As Hulu kicked off the sendoff of its flagship drama series The Handmaid’s Tale this week by announcing the premiere date for its sixth and final season, the streamer also is stepping up preparations for its successor, The Testaments. The sequel is nearing a series greenlight and has cast Presumed Innocent‘s Chase Infiniti as one of the three leads, joining The Handmaid’s Tale‘s Ann Dowd, who had been expected to reprise her Emmy-winning role as Lydia, sources tell Deadline.

Like The Handmaid’s Tale, The Testaments is based on a novel by Margaret Atwood. And just like the mothership series, the sequel is created by Bruce Miller who serves as showrunner. He executive produces alongside fellow Handmaid’s Tale executive producer Warren Littlefiend of The Littlefield Company, with Amazon MGM Studios as the studio. Deals with other producers are still being finalized; filming is eying an end of March start in Toronto, I hear.

The Testaments takes place in the dystopian theocracy of Gilead more than 15 years after the events of The Handmaid’s Tale. The story follows the lives of three women, Aunt Lydia (Dowd), Agnes (Infiniti) and Daisy, whose fates become intertwined as they uncover the secrets of Gilead and the resistance against its regime.

The hope has been for The Handmaid’s Tale lead Elisabeth Moss to guest star on the sequel, reprising her Offred character, but as of now, it is uncertain whether that would happen, I hear. In The Testaments TV series, Offred is Agnes’ mom, something the book hints at but does not state.

Reps for Hulu and Amazon MGM Studios declined comment.

The Testaments, Atwood’s Booker Prize-winning sequel to her best-selling dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale, was published in September 2019, with Hulu and Amazon MGM Studios acquiring the rights right away. As The Handmaid’s Tale was heading into its sixth and final season in 2023, Miller stepped down as showrunner of that series to focus on The Testaments adaptation.

Speaking with Deadline in December, Littlefield said that they were moving “full speed ahead” on The Testaments.”

He also addressed the continuing relevance of The Handmaid’s Tale franchise, with the title heroines’ red-and-white costume becoming a global symbol of women’s rights, worn in protests around the world.

“While [Handmaid’s Tale] was developed in an Obama administration, when we were shooting, I think, Episode 4 of Season 1, Trump came to office and, while we thought and hoped and prayed that we would be less relevant a series, the longer we were on, the more relevant we became,” Littlefield said. “Our thematics only got stronger, sadly, and today, as we think and discuss plans for Testamentsit feels like there’s a reason to keep this world alive.”

The Handmaid’s Tale will remain in TV history as the first streaming show to win Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series. Its sixth and final season, which Littlefield called “chilling” and satisfying for loyal fans, will premiere April 8. You can watch a teaser below.

In her first screen credit, Infinity played a key series regular role as Jake Gyllenhaal and Ruth Negga’s daughter on Apple TV+’s hit legal thriller drama Presumed Innocent. She will next be seen in Paul Thomas Anderson’s new movie. Infinity is repped by Gersh and Brillstein Entertainment Partners.

Dowd has been a series regular on The Handmaid’s Tale for its entire run, playing the sadistic Aunt Lydia Clements. The role has earned her three Emmy nominations and a win in 2017. She is repped by Innovative Artists and Principal Entertainment LA.