As the first details for American Horror Story season 7 begin to seep online, FX has officially ordered a two-season renewal that will take Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk’s horror anthology series through 2019.
News emerged during the ongoing Television Critics Association’s winter press tour, confirming that there will be an additional two seasons of AHS beyond 2017. Meanwhile, the previously confirmed seventh season is beginning to take shape ahead of its premiere later this year. Emmy-winning actress Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters – two stalwarts of the anthology series since its inception six years ago – are locked in, though co-creator Ryan Murphy is keeping mum on both the story and setting of American Horror Story season 7. All we know for sure is that it’ll take place in the present, unlike the spooky, colonial-themed Roanoke.
“There are only three people in the world who know what [the new season is about]. And that’s FX CEO John Landgraf, [studio executive] Dana Walden, and Sarah Paulson.” (Excluding himself, obviously.) “I don’t know [if we’ll keep it quiet]. Last year was successful. I don’t know if we’ll do it again. I think maybe we’ll release some of it earlier than we did. But I just started writing it, I haven’t even cast it yet — except for Sarah and Evan. It’s a modern-day story. That’s all I can say.”
American Horror Story is a series that practically thrives on secrecy. Its most recent season, Roanoke, arrived with little fanfare, and the fanfare it did receive was often a collection of red herrings – coupled with the old bait-and-switch tactic – to ensure its setting remained firmly under wraps. Such an unconventional marketing spiel actually boosted ratings, too, and AHS remains FX’s most-watched series as it nears its seventh year on the airwaves.
So, there you have it; American Horror Story will be with us until at least 2019, with the seventh season on course to make its bow later this year. Expect further casting announcements – and potentially story clues – to surface in the coming weeks.