Just one week after its debut, Hulu has renewed “The Handmaid’s Tale” for a second season, Variety has learned. Season 2 will premiere in 2018.

The renewal will be announced Wednesday at Hulu’s Upfront presentation.

According to Hulu, which did not release numbers, “The Handmaid’s Tale” has been watched by more Hulu viewers than any other series premiere on the platform, considering both original and acquired series.

Aside from viewership success, the show has received widespread critical acclaim, with Variety‘s awards editor Kristopher Tapley penning a recent column about the series titled, “Does Hulu Finally Have A Serious Emmy Contender?” Variety TV critic Sonia Saraiya called the drama “a worthy, heartbreaking adaptation of the text, anchored by strong performances and profound visual grammar” in her review.

Based on Margaret Atwood’s novel of the same name, “The Handmaid’s Tale” follows the story of life in the dystopia of Gilead, a totalitarian society in what was formerly part of the United States. Elisabeth Moss stars alongside Joseph Fiennes, Yvonne Strahovski, Alexis Bledel, Madeline Brewer, Ann Down, O.T. Fagbenle, Max Minghella, and Samira Wiley.

Popular on Variety

“The response we’ve seen to ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ in just one week since its premiere has been absolutely incredible. 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,” said Craig Erwich, Hulu’s SVP and head of content. “As we continue to expand our strong slate of original programming, ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ is exactly the type of gripping and thought-provoking storytelling we want to bring to viewers. We can’t wait to explore the world of Gilead and continue Margaret’s vision with another season on Hulu.”

“Handmaid’s Tale” is created, executive produced, and written by Bruce Miller. Warren Littlefield serves as executive producer and Atwood is a consulting producer on the series. MGM Television produces.