‘American Horror Story: Cult’ Trailer Taps Into Post-Election Fears

Drew Dietsch
TV Horror
TV Horror

American Horror Story has never shied away from causing discussion around its controversial subject matter. The newest season, titled American Horror Story: Cult, is leaning heavily into that territory. The first trailer just landed and it’s not being coy at all about what it’s tackling.

Check out the new trailer but get ready for a heavy, heavy dose of horrifying reality.

Post-Election Evil

Yes, American Horror Story is looking at our anxieties and fears in a post-2016 election world. The two main characters look to be Sarah Paulson’s Ally Mayfair-Richards and Evan Peters’s Kai Anderson. They both have a very strong reaction to the results of the election; Ally’s fear of clowns seems to be intensified after the election, and Kai seems bent on forming some kind of cult in celebration of the new president. Looks like the season is going to focus on these polar opposite feelings. Should be intense.

Twisty the Clown‘s return (in some form) should have fans of American Horror Story stoked. Will he only be contained to the comic book series that Ally’s son likes? Or will he be jumping off the page and haunting her? And what’s with the multiple clowns popping up everywhere? Are they simply hallucinations that Ally is having? Or are there really a cult of clowns popping up everywhere? Could they be part of Kai’s group?

What’s In Store?

Shocking and violent imagery has always been a staple of American Horror Story. It will be interesting to see what gruesome scenes the creators come up with this season. And will we have another iconic villain like Twisty, Papa Legba, or the Axeman? Can we expect more tie-ins to previous seasons after the reveal that all the seasons are connected?

American Horror Story: Cult premieres on Tuesday, September 5. Between this and It, it’s going to be a very good year for scary clowns. That’s okay by me.

Drew Dietsch
Drew Dietsch has been professionally writing about entertainment for over a decade. His bylines include FANDOM - where he was a founding contributor and Entertainment Editor - Bloody Disgusting, SYFY WIRE, and more. He created and hosts GenreVision, a weekly film discussion show at genrevision.com.