What Does Margaret Atwood Think About The Handmaid's Tale Show?

As The Handmaid's Tale draws to a conclusion, we are getting increasingly curious about the show's connection to its source material. And one of the most intriguing questions is: what does Margaret Atwood really think of the show that brought her world to life?

Well, we have all the answers.

What Is Margaret Atwood Role in The Handmaid’s Tale TV Adaptation?

Atwood's relationship with the show is more advisory than authoritative. As she revealed to The New York Times:

“I have influence but no power. There’s a big difference. I’m not the person who can ultimately sign off on anything.”

Though, this hasn't stopped her from speaking out when necessary. When asked if she had any disagreements with the show's direction, Atwood said:

“I’ve done some yelling, but it was fairly effective yelling. I think it’s a bit of a problem for people that know about real totalitarianism that some of these characters have survived for as long as they did.”

Did Margaret Atwood Enjoy The Handmaid’s Tale Show?

Despite any creative differences, Atwood's overall impression of the show is positive.

“I think I would have to be awfully stupid to resent it because things could have been so much worse. They have done a tippety-top job ... the acting is great, they’ve stuck to the central set of premises,” she said at the Hay literary festival in Wales (via The Guardian).

In fact, she even defended the show when Season 2 turned out to be quite different from the novel. She said:

“It’s a television series. If you’re going to have a series you can’t kill off the central character and you also can’t have the central character escape to safety in episode one of season two. It’s not going to happen.”

How Much Money Did Margaret Atwood Get From The Handmaid’s Tale Show?

For those wondering about the financial aspects, Atwood's told The Guardian an interesting detail:

“I sold the rights to MGM in 1990 to make a movie – so when the TV rights were sold to Hulu, the money went to MGM. We did not have a negotiating position. I did get brought on as an executive consultant, but that wasn’t a lot of money. People think it’s been all Hollywood glamour since the TV show happened, but that’s not happening to me. But book sales have been brisk, so there’s that.”

When & Where The Handmaid's Tale Comes Out?

You can catch new episodes of The Handmaid's Tale on Hulu every Tuesday at 12 am ET.