Hulu has given a series order to The Handmaid's Tale, a show based on Margaret Atwood's 1985 novel of the same name. The story is set in Gilead, a military republic (formerly part of the United States) where a suspension of the Constitution strips women entirely of their rights. Atwood will serve as a consulting producer for the series.

Elizabeth Moss (Mad Men) will star as Offred, a handmaid whose sole function in society is a reproductive one. She is "assigned" to The Commander of the new regime, a man named Fred whose relationship with Offred is an unorthodox one.

Atwood is on board

"The Handmaid's Tale is more relevant now than when it was written, and I am sure the series will be watched with great interest," Atwood said in a statement. "I have read the first two scripts and they are excellent; I can hardly wait to see the finished episodes."

The Handmaid's Tale won the first Arthur C. Clarke Award in 1987, a distinction given each year to the UK's best sci-fi novel. The series will debut on Hulu sometime in 2017.