The Handmaid’s Tale prequel, ‘ The Testaments, ‘ will have its world premiere at this year’s Series Mania. The TV adaptation is based on Margaret Atwood’s bestselling and Booker Prize-winning 2019 novel.
The story takes place in Gilead, a dystopian theocracy, more than fifteen years after The Handmaid’s Tale. A new generation of young women must face the harsh reality of the world they have inherited and the bleak future that lies ahead
Ann Dowd returns to reprise her Emmy-winning role as Aunt Lydia from The Handmaid’s Tale. The new cast includes Chase Infiniti as Agnes Jemima and Lucy Halliday as Daisy, also known as Nicole.
The series will premiere on April 8, 2026, on Hulu and will also be available on Disney+ in the U.S. and internationally. The first three episodes will be released on launch day
The Series Mania Festival 2026 will take place in Lille, France, from March 20 to 27. For one week, the city will become a global stage for television. The festival talks will bring in Russell T. Davies, Nicola Shindler, Angela Jain from Disney+ EMEA, and Fremantle CEO Jennifer Mullin
The Series Mania 2026 International Competition unveils a daring slate of global stories that push boundaries and celebrate diverse voices. From the U.S., The Audacity (AMC) delivers a biting satire of the tech world, with Billy Magnussen portraying a delusional CEO in a series crafted by Succession writer Jonathan Glatzer. The UK contributes two powerful dramas: Major Players (Channel 4/A24), directed by Molly Manning Walker, which dives into the lives of a women’s soccer team, and Waiting for the Out (BBC), a gripping prison memoir adaptation starring Josh Finan and Siobhan Finneran. Australia’s Dustfall adds intrigue with its “tropic noir” murder mystery set in a remote community, while Argentina’s Dear Killer Nannies (Disney+) offers a chilling thriller centered on domestic workers.
Europe’s presence is equally strong, with Spain’s The Anatomy of a Moment (Movistar Plus+) revisiting the tense 1981 coup attempt in a historical drama, and Poland’s Love is Enough (Max) weaving together the intimate lives of three interconnected couples. Denmark rounds out the lineup with My Brother (DR), a tense psychological exploration of family loyalty. Together, these selections embody the bold, eclectic spirit of Series Mania—bringing audiences stories that are as thought‑provoking as they are emotionally resonant
