As always, the plotline to the upcoming season of American Horror Story is being kept a secret, and the rumor mill is churning. This time with rumblings that the show will revisit its Coven season. Creator Ryan Murphy says that is only partially true, and that season 13 will combine all the previous seasons… for… reasons.
American Horror Story is known for self-contained one-season stories with a core cast of actors who play different roles each time. Season 13 will see the return of Jessica Lange, Evan Peters, Emma Roberts, Angela Bassett, and Sarah Paulson. Kathy Bates, Billie Lourd, Gabourey Sidibe, and Leslie Grossman also return. They will all apparently be reprising prior roles, and several roles in some cases. At this time, it’s unclear if they’ll be playing new characters, as well, because that just sounds overwhelming for the cast.
Season 13
“Everybody thinks it’s a Coven season and it’s not. It’s all the seasons,” Murphy told Entertainment Tonight. “Sarah Paulson is playing six or seven roles. Jessica Lange is playing all four of her iconic characters. Evan Peters is playing five characters… It is like the Avengers. They all come together to defeat the ultimate evil.”
“It’s all of them in one season and it’s 13 episodes because it’s called ‘13’. I spent many, many months and many years writing it. I wanted to do 13 in a special way,” he adds.
The cast for the new season will also include series newcomers Alex Consani, Paul Anthony Kelly, John Waters, and Joey Pollari.
American Horror Story returns to FX on Thursday, September 24, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT). It hits Hulu the next day. You can watch the interview with Murphy below:
