Channel 4 today announces that it has acquired acclaimed US drama series The Handmaid’s Tale from MGM Television starring Elisabeth Moss and Joseph Fiennes. The series also stars Samira Wiley, Max Minghella, Yvonne Strahovski, O-T Fagbenle, Alexis Bledel, Madeline Brewer and Ann Dowd. The series will air on Channel 4 later this month.

Based on Margaret Atwood’s award-winning, best-selling novel, The Handmaid’s Tale is the story of life in the dystopian Gilead, a totalitarian society in what was formerly part of the United States. Facing environmental disasters and a plunging birth rate, Gilead is ruled by a twisted fundamentalist regime that treats women as property of the state. As one of the few remaining fertile women, Offred (Moss) is a Handmaid in the Commander’s (Fiennes) household, one of the caste of women forced into sexual servitude as a last desperate attempt to repopulate a devastated world. In this terrifying society where one wrong word could end her life, Offred navigates between Commanders, their cruel Wives, domestic Marthas and her fellow Handmaids - where anyone could be a spy for Gilead - with one goal: to survive and find the daughter that was taken from her.

Jay Hunt, Channel 4’s Chief Creative Officer said: “The Handmaid’s Tale is a chilling and frighteningly topical exploration of a world where women are subjugated. I'm delighted that Channel 4 viewers will get to see this critically-acclaimed take on a classic novel.”

The 10-part series was created for television by Bruce Miller (The 100), who serves as the series’ showrunner. Executive Producers are Miller, Warren Littlefield (Fargo), Daniel Wilson, Fran Sears and Illene Chaiken. The Handmaid’s Tale is produced by MGM Television and internationally distributed by MGM.