Ryan Murphy has heard the desires of American Horror Story enthusiasts and is resurrecting beloved OG characters — plus, a huge celebrity is boarding the cast.
The TV magnate, 59, observed Halloween by making a significant AHS revelation on Instagram, declaring that Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Angela Bassett, Kathy Bates, Emma Roberts, Billie Lourd, Gabourey Sidibe and Leslie Grossman would grace the show’s landmark 13th season once more.
Murphy’s message also unveiled Ariana Grande’s entry into the series. Grande, 32, and Murphy previously joined forces — together with Roberts and Lourd — in Scream Queens, a series that despite its short run, spanned two seasons from 2015 to 2016.
While details are still emerging concerning the forthcoming AHS season, many fans are sure that the song accompanying Murphy’s news — Vera Lynn’s “I’ll Be Seeing You” — hints at the storyline. Some have theorized it might allude to the third season of the anthology, Coven, which showcased many returning faces portraying witches — a delightfully fitting Halloween surprise.
AHS first aired on FX in October 2011 and rapidly evolved into a cherished horror phenomenon, celebrated for the speculation surrounding the annual theme.
Devotees of the franchise have been anticipating Lange’s comeback since her final principal role in season 4, where she embodied Elsa Mars in Freak Show. The Academy Award recipient, 76, graced season 8 (Apocalypse) briefly with a cameo as Constance Langdon, the character she debuted in the initial season (Murder House).
Friday’s announcement follows Peters’ recent open expressions of his wish to rejoin the show at various red carpet events, particularly after his joint appearance with Paulson, 50, at the 2025 Emmys to hand out an award.
The pair playfully hinted at Peters’ possible involvement in season 13, even exchanging knowing glances with Murphy in the audience.
“I need to ring Ryan,” Peters confided to Entertainment Tonight in a late-month interview. “We need to chat and explore the possibilities. Perhaps we’ll set that in motion.”
This impending AHS season signifies the reunion of Peters and Murphy on a project since their work on Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story back in 2022.
“I’ve been acquainted with Evan for more than a decade, and we’ve been friends throughout,” Murphy reminisced about Peters in a 2022 Instagram post that has since been removed. “Our first encounter was when he auditioned for the role of Jessica Lange’s son, Tate, during the very first season of American Horror Story. After their first scene together, Jessica commented to me, ‘This kid is incredible.’”
He further noted, “He remains, just as he was back then, the kindest, most considerate individual, and an exceptionally accomplished professional who gives nothing short of 200 percent.”
Murphy made sure to celebrate Peters’ portrayal of Jeffrey Dahmer in particular.
“His portrayal of Jeffrey Dahmer has revealed to everyone his standing as one of the industry’s premier actors,” the producer declared at the time. “His talent exudes authenticity, extremity, and precision. I see him as a young DeNiro [sic] or DiCaprio — truly among the greatest of all time. Hats off to Evan for his stellar year.”
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