The Hollywood Reporter says that Evan Peters (Monster, Tron: Ares) is set to return to the American Horror Story universe for what he describes as an “alumni” or “greatest-hits” season. A cornerstone of the franchise since the premiere of Murder House in 2011, Peters has starred in nine installments of the Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk anthology. He joins a massive reunion cast for the upcoming 13th season, which is expected to premiere around Halloween 2026.
After a multi-year hiatus, Peters is officially re-teaming with Murphy for a landmark Season 13. The upcoming installment features a “greatest hits” ensemble that brings back several of the franchise’s most iconic legends, including Jessica Lange (King Kong, Tootsie), Sarah Paulson (All’s Fair, Ratched), Angela Bassett (9-1-1, Waiting to Exhale), and Kathy Bates (Matlock, Misery), according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Rounding out the star-studded “alumni” cast are returning favorites Emma Roberts (Scream Queens, We’re the Milles), Billie Lourd (The Last Showgirl, Booksmart), Gabourey Sidibe (Precious, The Big C), and Leslie Grossman (The Good Place, What I Like About You), via The Hollywood Reporter.
While promoting his new FX series, The Beauty in a Tuesday interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Peters discussed his return to the iconic horror franchise. The Beauty represents his latest project with Ryan Murphy, following their massive success with Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. The actor took the opportunity to reveal exactly what inspired him to rejoin the American Horror Story world.
“First of all, it’s working with Ryan again, but second of all, he’s assembled the cast from all the different seasons,” the Emmy winner says about why he’s returning to AHS. “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, Jessica, Kathy, Angela again and everybody involved. I’m interested to see what the scenes are and how it all plays out.”
The Hollywood Reporter said when asked if he was particularly surprised to learn that Lange was returning, Peters responded with a laugh, “Yes! Yeah, Ryan knows how to have those dinners. He will get you in a second. I was definitely shocked, but thrilled, honestly.”
Lange was a cornerstone of the series during its first four seasons, cementing her status as a fan favorite alongside Peters, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Their most famous dynamic began in season one, where she portrayed Constance, the mother of Peter’s character, Tate.
Since her 2015 departure, Lange has consistently dismissed the idea of a permanent return to the franchise, with her only exception being a brief cameo in season eight’s Apocalypse to reprise her role as Constance.
For years, the Oscar-winning actress seemed finished with the anthology. Speaking with SPIN 1038, she flatly rejected the idea of returning after a decade away, simply saying, “No.” This echoed her 2019 sentiments, where she expressed contentment with her legacy on the show, noting that the first four seasons represented the peak of her experience with the franchise, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Beyond the roster of returning legends, Season 13 will feature Ariana Grande joining the ensemble, via The Hollywood Reporter. The Wicked actress, a devoted fan of the franchise, previously shared the screen with Peters in her 2024 music video for “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love),” in which he starred as her romantic lead.
Rumored to begin filming next month, Season 13 is in full swing and expected to premiere on FX Oct. 31, according to The Hollywood Reporter.