‘Handmaid’s Tale’ Super Bowl Teaser: Elisabeth Moss Wakes Up America

The time for mourning is over, as Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale is revving up for a comeback.

A Super Bowl spot for the next season of the Emmy-winning drama offers up the best look yet at what’s next when Offred (Elisabeth Moss) and the world of Gilead return to the streaming service later this year. Hulu’s new teaser lacks information on when exactly to expect The Handmaid’s Tale season three, but nevertheless pulls back the curtain on what to expect — namely, a much more rebellious incarnation of Offred, known to herself and her loved ones as June, than ever before.

The teaser takes its cues from the 1984 political commercial “Prouder, Stronger, Better,” which supported Ronald Reagan’s reelection bid as U.S. president. The music and the deep voice of the old commercial swirl together again here, albeit contrasted against familiar images from Gilead, including women working at the irradiated Colonies, Serena Joy (Yvonne Strahovski) caring for June’s daughter, and more. 

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“It’s morning again in America,” states the narrator, same as in the Reagan ad. “Today, more women will go to work than ever before in our country’s history. This year, dozens of children will be born to happy and healthy families.”

The narration soon buckles and gives way to images of fire and an equally fiery Elisabeth Moss as June, her eyes staring directly into the camera. As the narrator’s voice continues to unwind until it’s choked out and gone, equally chaotic imagery flashes onscreen: Commander Waterford (Joseph Fiennes) in a fit of rage, panic amongst the Martha class, June drawing a sharp breath … until the most stark image of all comes into focus: June, alongside an army of handmaids, standing in the National Mall with Gilead’s modified Washington Monument in the background.

“Wake up, America,” June tells us, having overtaken the narration. “Morning is over.”

The Super Bowl spot indicates the future direction of The Handmaid’s Tale, as both showrunner Bruce Miller and star Elisabeth Moss have indicated a renewed sense of fight within June. Despite a chance at rescue at the end of season two, June opted to stay behind in Gilead in order to find and rescue her estranged daughter and push back against the totalitarian regime. That pushback is front and center in the new teaser.

“She is staying to fight to save all the children of Gilead,” Moss previously told The Hollywood Reporter about her vision for June heading into season three. “It’s bigger than her now. It’s bigger than her and Holly and Hannah. It’s all about the sons and especially daughters of Gilead, and fighting for their lives. Seeing the Martha network and the commander has opened her eyes. She is no longer alone. She has an army, and she’s going to fight back.”

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Follow THR.com/HandmaidsTale for more coverage ahead of season three.