Coming off a Golden Globe win for The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, FX Networks granted creator Ryan Murphy another two American Horror Story serials, beyond the already announced seventh season. This should ensure American Horror Story will continue until at least 2019.
What will future AHS seasons be about?
Confirmed for the as-yet-untitled seventh season is veteran Sarah Paulson, enjoying her Golden Globes win for American Crime Story. Her portrayal of Marsha Clark also earned her an Emmy win. The series garnered 15 Emmy wins in all, including Outstanding Miniseries Actress wins for Jessica Lange. AHS has not significantly lost viewership after Lange’s exit two years ago. Additionally, Evan Peters has been confirmed for the seventh season.
Traditionally American Horror Story premieres in October; rumors circulate that the seventh season has already been filmed and could launch at any time. “We know explicitly what the seventh season is about, but not eight and nine,” said John Landgraf, CEO of FX Networks and FX Productions. “I’m really excited about season 7, and utterly confident that eight and nine will be unique and interesting.”
The growing AHS legacy…
“American Horror Story launched the modern limited series revolution and—as evidenced by the most recent installment Roanoke—it remains as vital today as when Murder House stunned audiences six years ago,” Landgraf said in a statement. “Each new chapter is a cultural event, beloved for every new twist in imagery, style, cast and plot. We are thrilled that Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and the entire creative team will continue to deliver the groundbreaking, celebrated American Horror Story for years to come.”
In October 2016, Ryan Murphy suggested that future plans would involve deeper crossover of existing series. “We do know what we’re going to do. It’s not going to be next season, but we are going to do a season that’s a crossover between Murder House and Coven together, which is very bizarre.” The premise of Roanoke did revisit several elements from previous seasons. Season 4’s Freak Show confirmed that each anthology story took place in a shared universe.
This integration also prompted a change in the Emmy rules. A “Limited Series” (formerly Miniseries) became defined as a program consisting of two or more episodes totaling 150 minutes as a whole, telling a complete, non-recurring story, and without an ongoing storyline and/or main characters in subsequent seasons. This change may have impacted long-term franchise plans.
AHS Season 7 secrets:
Regarding unannounced launch dates, some work has definitely been completed. “It’s my secret season,” Murphy claimed previously. “I’ve been working with a writer on a season that only he and I know. It’s one person writing all episodes. The whole show has been a great joy to me because it’s an experiment.” It is unclear whether today’s announcement includes the “secret” season. Rumors of potential themes come from a panoply of teasers released prior to Season 6 (Roanoke); the actual plot was kept unannounced until the actual premiere. Sharped eyed viewers comb the last episodes of each story for clues to the next season, but this cryptic teaser came at the end of Roanoke.