"American Horror Story" creator Ryan Murphy is dishing on season 13 of the show, revealing that it's not a "Coven" season. The Ryan Murphy Says Fan Theories About ‘American Horror Story’ Season 13 Are Wrong first appeared on The Blast

Ryan Murphy confirmed that season 13 of his FX series “American Horror Story” was in the works in October 2025. Now, as filming on the new installment of the anthology series is ongoing, he’s opening up about what fans can expect and revealing why theories that the season will be centered around “Coven” are misguided. This comes ahead of the premiere of his new show, “The Shards.”

Ryan Murphy Discusses ‘American Horror Story’ Season 13

Murphy attended the premiere event for his upcoming show, FX’s “The Shards.” While on the red carpet, he spoke to Entertainment Tonight and was asked about “American Horror Story” season 13, with the reporter noting that she was excited to see “Coven,” which was the third season of the show, make a comeback.

Murphy responded, “Well, everybody thinks it’s a coven season, and it’s not.” After that, the “Glee” producer confirmed another rumor about the show, saying, “It’s all the seasons.” He then discussed the cast, stating that Sarah Paulson will play “six or seven roles.” Regarding Jessica Lange, Murphy said she’s “playing all four of her iconic characters.

He continued, “Evan Peters is playing five characters. And of course, Kathy Bates, Emma Roberts, and Billie Lourd.”

Ryan Called The Upcoming ‘AHS’ Season ‘Fun’

Murphy continued his Entertainment Tonight interview by teasing a bit of the plot before returning to the cast of the upcoming season, with the reporter calling what he had previously described “like the Avengers.” According to him, “It is like the ‘Avengers.’ They all come together to defeat the ultimate evil.”

He continued, “So, it’s very fun, and as soon as I pitched it to them, many of them had said ‘no’ over the years, and they were like, ‘Well, okay, we’ve got to come back for that.” After that, he discussed Lange signing on for the season after leaving the show after the fourth season and vowing that she would never return.

Murphy shared, “But I pitched Jessica Lange, she was like, ‘Oh, sh-t, now I have to do it.” He added, “It’s all of them in one season, and it’s 13 episodes because it’s called 13.”

Toward the end of the interview, Murphy explained that he “spent many, many months and many years writing it. I wanted to do 13 in a special way. So, it’s cool. It’s fun.”

Ariana Grande Recently Dropped Out

As mentioned, season 13 of “American Horror Story” was announced in October 2025. According to USA Today, the cast, in addition to those previously named, included Angela Bassett, Gabourey Sidibe, Leslie Grossman, and Ariana Grande.

However, according to Variety, the singer dropped out of the season due to scheduling conflicts with her ongoing tour and upcoming studio album, “Petal.” Her role would have been her “AHS” debut, serving as a reunion for her and Murphy following their work on “Scream Queens.”

Additionally, there have been other cast changes, with the additions of Paul Anthony Kelly, Joey Pollari, Berto Colon, and former “AHS” actors John Carroll Lynch and Mat Fraser.

Evan Peters Previously Discussed The Season

Evan Peters last appeared in “American Horror Story” during the show’s 10th season. Months after it was revealed that he’d be returning, he spoke to The Hollywood Reporter in January 2026 while promoting another Murphy show, “The Beauty.”

The 39-year-old told the outlet, “First of all, it’s working with Ryan [Murphy] again, but second of all, he’s assembled the cast from all the different seasons.”

He continued, “It’s sort of an alumni, and we’re all getting back together to do this greatest-hits season. So we’ll see what he writes and what it brings. But just the chance to be able to work with Sarah [Paulson], Jessica, Kathy [Bates], Angela [Bassett] again and everybody involved. I’m interested to see what the scenes are and how it all plays out.”

When asked if he was surprised by Lange finally agreeing to return to the series, Peters said, “Yes! Yeah, Ryan knows how to have those dinners. He will get you in a second. I was definitely shocked, but thrilled, honestly.” Season 13 of the show premieres on September 24.

Ryan Murphy’s ‘The Shards’ Premieres In August

Murphy is one of the most prolific names in television, with several shows premiering each year. Now, his newest, “The Shards,” is set to debut on FX and Hulu on August 5. According to Deadline, the series comes from 20th Century Fox and Ryan Murphy Productions.

Notably, the new show is based on Bret Easton Ellis‘ 2023 novel of the same name. Its logline states, “Set against the vivid backdrop of 1980s Los Angeles, the series follows a group of privileged high school seniors at an elite prep school as they navigate identity, sex, jealousy, obsession, and the dangers lurking beneath the surface of American adolescence.”

The Ryan Murphy Says Fan Theories About ‘American Horror Story’ Season 13 Are Wrong first appeared on The Blast