‘American Horror Story’ Season 13: Sarah Paulson Returns as Cordelia, Release Date Moved Up
American Horror Story has been disturbing, dismaying, and delighting dark-minded audiences ever since it first premiered on FX in October 2011, when a ghost-infested Murder House made the Harmon family its permanent residents. Since then, co-creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk have introduced eerie asylums, cursed covens, sinister sideshow circuses, haunted hotels, and even the end of the world as part of the show’s macabre repertoire designed to scare and mesmerize viewers.
Now, the show will return for the 13th installment as the iconic horror series turns its gaze back to Miss Robichaux’s Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies.
After a brief hiatus, the show is preparing to return, but when? Who will feature in the anthology’s next chapter? And what terrifying themes will it cover? Here’s a quick breakdown of what we know so far about the highly anticipated 13th season of the horror hit.
FX
When will American Horror Story Season 13 premiere?
In Ryan Murphy‘s original Instagram post, the new season was set to premiere on Halloween, October 31, 2026. However, as of April 8, that date has since changed. In his new post, Murphy wrote: “Coming this September.”
Who will star in American Horror Story Season 13?
Last Halloween, Murphy revealed the cast list for the upcoming Season 13 on Instagram, and for American Horror Story fans, the list is reminiscent of the Coven and Apocalypse seasons. The cast list includes Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Angela Bassett, Kathy Bates, Emma Roberts, Billie Lourd, Gabourey Sidibe, Leslie Grossman, new addition Ariana Grande, and the big surprise, Jessica Lange.
Along with the cast list, the text of Murphy’s original announcement post read Roberts’ signature catchphrase as Madison Montgomery from the Apocalypse season: “Surprise, b***h. I bet you thought you’d seen the last of me.”
Since then, Murphy has teased audiences on Instagram with a pic of a familiar silhouette standing in a familiar location. And in the comments, he confirmed the return of another beloved character. Scroll down for more on this.
The big surprise is Jessica Lange, who previously said she would not return. In an interview in February 2025, Lange was asked if she would ever return to the anthology series, and the Oscar winner stated, “Oh Christ, no,” Lange said. “I mean, I haven’t done it for more than 10 years, 12 years, so, no, I’m not doing it.”
On April 6, Murphy posted first-look photos on Instagram of Lange dolled up like Constance Langdon as she stands in front of the window of her beloved Murder House. “American Horror Story, Season 13. Day One. The return of Jessica Lange!”
Ryan Murphy Productions / Instagram
Not only has Lange returned as the mad matriarch of the Murder House, but production has started on Season 13, and in the comment section, Murphy further confirms more story details as one fan commented, “Omg! Can’t wait! Plz make it a Coven extension! I need the witches in my life! Especially Angela Bassett as Marie Laveau,” to which Murphy then replied, “Done.”
FX
On April 8, Murphy confirmed the return of Paulson as Cordelia Chase with an Instagram post that read: “AHS 13. The Return of @mssarahcatharinepaulson as Cordelia Goode. The Supreme Rises. And yes, we have rebuilt the entire Robichaux Academy. Coming this September.”
Also joining the cast is the Baltimore “Pope of Trash” John Waters, who announced his involvement on February 14, 2026, during one of his live shows. “I’m going to announce tonight something new: I can’t say what role, but I have a big new part in American Horror Story,” Waters told his audience at the Baltimore Soundstage.
What will American Horror Story Season 13 be about?
Every Season of 'American Horror Story' So Far, Ranked by Scariness
By the looks of the cast, it appears to be a Coven/Apocalypse reunion. The cast, the confirmations, and the Instagram posts lean towards a return to the witchier seasons of AHS, much to the delight of fans who favored these seasons.
Previously, Ryan Murphy hinted at the return of the witches. Back in 2018, during his Walk of Fame ceremony after Apocalypse’s 10-episode run, Murphy made the cryptic comment, “The witches will be back.”
American Horror Story, Season 13 Premiere, September 2026, FX (next day on Hulu)
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