American Horror Story Could Either End Soon or Go On For 20 Seasons, Says Ryan Murphy
American Horror Story has given us so much: Francis Conroy screaming “Balenciaga,” Jessica Lange serving us dramatic monologues about how their won’t be swimming pools, numerous gratuitous shots of Finn Wittrock and Evan Peters in underwear… but how much more does American Horror Story have to give?
Creator and executive producer Ryan Murphy isn’t actually sure.
After a couple of rocky seasons, the FX anthology series has found its footing again with it’s slasher flick-inspired ninth iteration, thanks to a new generation of actors. This is somewhat ironic, considering that while Murphy still controls his shows that are still on-air at FX, he’s since moved on to producing new content for Netflix under a blockbuster deal. That’s lead many to wonder just how long Murphy may be interested in keeping the AHS train chugging along. A 10th season has already been commissioned for next year, but it may make a certain amount of sense to end it there. Murphy is already preparing for that possibility.
“We’re working on an idea for season 10 that I think people will love because it’s about reuniting fan-favorite actors to come back—because it might be our last season,” Murphy told Deadline. “It’s the last season we have contracted. So, I’ve been quietly reaching out to various people. Some people I haven’t reached out to yet because I was like ‘Do I have a role for them?’ So far, everybody I reached out to said ‘Yes’, so that’s been great.”
His comments do somewhat track with recent comments from former AHS stars Evan Peters and Sarah Paulson. Peters famously announced that season 8 would be his last, and Paulson sat out this most recent season as well. Both have been coy about returning.
“I would like to do something with Evan [Peters],” Paulson recently told TV Guide. “I miss Evan and I miss acting with Evan. So I’d love to have that experience again. If he’ll come back, I’m back.”
Perhaps she already knew a possible reunion was in the cards, though Murphy wouldn’t clarify which former cast members he had asked back.
Still, we shouldn’t take Murphy’s comments about the 10th seasons possibly being the last as the gospel truth. Later in the interview he says that AHS could go on for far longer than any of us would have ever suspected.
“We’re in the middle of negotiations about beyond season 10,” says Murphy. “We have had conversations about the show going 20 seasons.”
The man he’s negotiating with would be FX Chairmen John Landgraf, but Murphy admits that if FX decided to pass on future season he could very well reboot it as a Netflix Original as well.
“Would I call up Netflix? Yes.” Murphy even says he hopes that the show’s 96 Emmy nominations reach the triple digit mark before it’s done and over.
So, like one of the witches from the Coven season, we really can’t be sure if AHS‘s death is imminent or if it might be revived and to live onward forever. Unfortunately, in the same interview Murphy clarifies that we shouldn’t expect anymore seasons of Feud anytime soon. “I’m not working on any of that right now,” he said.
American Horror Story‘s Most Shocking Onscreen Transformations
Sarah Paulson, the show’s most frequent star, has rocked just about every hairstyle under the sun throughout her run (even getting to model two at one time for her conjoined twin role in Freak Show). While she usually plays more sympathetic characters, her red-headed transformation into a stern Wilhemina Venable for Apocalypse certainly stands out. Seriously, the eyebrows alone… Photos courtesy of Getty Images and IMDB.
Poor Billy Eichner spent a good part of Apocalypse running around as a tattered survivor of the nuclear fallout. Photos courtesy of Getty Images and IMDB.
We don’t even know the names of most of the 1984 characters yet, but we do know most of the cast had to endure some serious hairspray, with Billie Lourd getting a particularly severe spritz. Photos courtesy of Getty Images and @mrrpmurphy.
Naomi Grossman’s transformation into recurring character Pepper is one of the series’ most notable. Photos courtesy of Getty Images and IMDB.
Evan Peters mostly fills the role of “confused young man” in the series, but he got to stretch his skills in Cult for a segment in which he played Warhol. Photos courtesy of Getty Images and IMDB.
Though, maybe that wasn’t as drastic as his appearance as Christ himself. Photos courtesy of Getty Images and IMDB.
Yes, the show even turned Meryl Streep’s daughter into a freak show performer once. Photos courtesy of Getty Images and Everett Collection.
Gaga maintained her glamour in Hotel, but went full on swamp witch for her smaller role in this season. Photos courtesy of Getty Images and Everett Collection.
Patti LaBelle is showbiz glamor personified, but she underwent a pretty drastic makeover for her role in Freak Show. Photos courtesy of Getty Images and IMDB.
Perhaps regretting killing off her original character too early, Ryan Murphy brought Joan Collins back for a second character later in the season and fitted the famous brunette with a white wig. Photos courtesy of Getty Images and IMDB.
Jessica Lange usually gets to retain a bit of glamour for her roles, but certain scenes in Coven required her to portray the dying witch as, well, a dying witch. Photos courtesy of Getty Images and FX.
Perhaps less notable than her accent from this season, but a beard on Kathy Bates is still a beard on Kathy Bates. Photos courtesy of Getty Images and Everett Collection.
Joker who? Photos courtesy of Getty Images and IMDB.
Lena Dunham has only appeared on one season, but even she required a makeover. Photos courtesy of Getty Images and IMDB.
France Conroy’s most famous roles are usually more low key, which made her transformation into full-fledged fashionista Myrtle Snow all the more exciting. Photos courtesy of Getty Images and Everett Collection.
