‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Is Already Locked In For A Second Season

Just one week after its three-episode premiere, Hulu’s adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” has already been renewed for a second season, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The outlet notes that the show is Hulu’s most-streamed premiere to date; and it’s been a critical success, too, racking up a 92 percent rating on Metacritic.

In an interview with HuffPost last week, showrunner Bruce Miller said that the story’s themes, though timeless, were sure to resonate with contemporary viewers. He said the show will lead fans to “appreciate the freedoms that we have, and see little ways that they’re chipped away and what that can lead to.”

In addition to its at least two-season run, the show has Elisabeth Moss signed on for a five-to-seven-year contract, a commitment she made with the condition of working as a producer, with a say in casting decisions.

So, how will a multi-season adaptation of a single novel play out? On a panel at the Tribeca Film Festival, Miller noted that while one of the book’s merits is its close focus on Offred’s personal story, that also means there’s room to explore the world beyond her perspective.

“I wanted to know what happens next,” he said of the novel’s abrupt ending. “The end of the book is quite a mystery, so I get to make it up.”

It bodes well for future seasons that Atwood has been involved with Hulu’s take on her story, even appearing as a shadow-shrouded disciplinarian in one scene.

And, there have been possible hints at a sequel to the book, although this might be no more than wishful thinking on the part of her many avid fans.

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