Talk about a Halloween surprise! No one could have anticipated that Ryan Murphy would break the internet on the last day of October with some amazing and unexpected news, but he clearly still has some tricks and treats up his sleeve when it comes to American Horror Story.
After the longest wait in the franchise's history, American Horror Story season 13 finally has updates! Murphy's production company posted a reel on Instagram with the cast reveal, a Coven reference, and a tease for when to expect the new season to premiere on FX. The only thing we didn't get with this announcement is the season's theme and subtitle, but let's not be too greedy!
The American Horror Story season 13 cast includes a number of cast members from past AHS seasons and other Murphy productions: Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Angela Bassett, Kathy Bates, Ariana Grande, Emma Roberts, Billie Lourd, Gabourey Sidibe, Leslie Grossman, and Jessica Lange. That's the franchise's strongest single-season cast since maybe Roanoke.
American Horror Story season 13 cast includes Jessica Lange's return and Ariana Grande's debut
Grande makes her first appearance in AHS, but the Grammy winner and Academy Award nominee previously appeared in Murphy's Scream Queens back in 2015. The biggest news here for long-time fans of the series is the triumphant return of Jessica Lange, who won Emmys for her performances in Murder House and Coven. The star hasn't appeared in a full season since Freak Show but made a guest appearance in Apocalypse.
The rest of the cast list reads like American Horror Story: All-Stars, with a lineup that features names that have led or supported in multiple seasons. Kathy Bates, Angela Bassett, Sarah Paulson... This is an unbelievable return to form for a long-running series that could be taking its last breath. After all, FX renewed the series through season 13 back in 2020. Pending a potential renewal, this is the last season that's currently ordered by the network. No wonder Murphy's going for broke!
AHS season 13 sets Halloween 2026 return on FX
If you didn't watch the cast announcement reel through the end, then you missed the reference to Emma Roberts' iconic line from season 3: "Surprise, b*tch. I bet you thought you'd seen the last of me." That's a direct reference to the fact that there has been troubling silence regarding AHS since season 12, subtitled Delicate, finished airing in April 2024. Not that we assumed FX had walked back the renewal, but sometimes no news isn't actually good news.
Thankfully, in this case, it was! The reel also teased a Halloween 2026 release for season 13, which is fitting for the Halloween announcement. However, that means that we will be waiting a full year to watch this incredible cast in action. It will be the first time since 2020 that we didn't have a new season of AHS for a full calendar year and will mark the longest gap in between seasons for the series ever. Fingers crossed, all that time away will result in the show's best season.
Stay tuned for more American Horror Story news and updates!