The Handmaid’s Tale gets renewed for a second season

Hulu has renewed The Handmaid’s Tale for a second season, Variety reports. The news comes just one week after the series premiere, which, according to Variety, was Hulu’s most-watched series premiere ever. The show, which is set just beyond present day, has drawn praise from critics for its representation of a totalitarian universe where women have been stripped of their rights.

The series, which stars Elizabeth Moss, is based on Margaret Atwood’s 1985 novel of the same name. Although the first season already steps outside Atwood’s created universe, a second season is even more likely to include new storylines and characters. There have also been a few rumors that Atwood is planning to write a sequel herself.

“The response we’ve seen to The Handmaid’s Tale in just one week since its premiere has been absolutely incredible,” Craig Erwich, Hulu’s head of content, told Variety. “It has been an honor to work with this talented team of cast and creators to develop a series that has struck such a chord with audiences across the country.”

The second season will reportedly premiere in 2018.