Everything We Know So Far About 'American Horror Story: Apocalypse'
After seven seasons of American Horror Story, show-runner Ryan Murphy is pretty much master of the fake-out. In advance of each new season, he keeps fans guessing about what is actually going to go down during the eerily named new series with strategically timed. However, we do one thing about the September premiere of American Horror Story: Apocalypse: It’s going to be the season of long-awaited crossover of AHS‘s Murder House and Coven seasons, meaning Emma Roberts will be back to reprise her Madison Montgomery character. And one other thing: it’s going to get “insane.”
“I’m not allowed to say a word, but . . . it’s so insane. It’s just so insane,” actor Billy Eichner revealed on Twitter at the beginning of August. With just weeks left until the season eight American Horror Story premiere, here are a few things we do know for sure about the return of our favorite scary television show.
1. The “apocalypse” may not be quite what we think.
Alexis Martin Woodall—the show’s executive producer—revealed during the Television Critics Association press tour (TCA) that, “The story begins with the end of the world, and then our world begins. It starts in the real world. It’s very tangible.”
Moreover, actress Adina Porter dropped her own little kernel about what the apocalypse means during an interview with Golden Derby. “I thought, because of The 100 and Apocalypse, that I knew everything about what life after an apocalypse would be—but Ryan Murphy and the writers of American Horror Story have shown a whole other side of an apocalypse,” Porter said. “So, I think people will be surprised and intrigued and yet again, I think, blown away by the performances that I’m seeing.”
2. A ton of people from the show’s past are returning for this epic season.
During the show’s TCA presentation, actress Sarah Paulson told the crowd, “I have the great pleasure of letting you know [Jessica Lange] will be back.” Paulson also shared that she will be playing both Billie Dean and Cordelia in the upcoming season.
For her part, Roberts noted that her character will get even nastier. “I was told by the director to be bitchier this season,” she said. “So it’s delicious to get to play her this season for sure.”
Beyond Roberts, Eicher, Lang, and Paulson, Vanity Fair reported that Cody Fern, Evan Peters, Connie Britton, Kathy Bates, and Billie Lord are all confirmed to return. Joan Collins and Billy Porter will also make their first appearances this season. And in, a now-deleted tweet Murphy shared, “All the witches are being asked back.” If that is true, it could mean the return of Angela Bassett, Taissa Farmiga, Jamie Brewer, Gabourey Sidibe, and Lily Rabe, though they have yet to be announced.
3. Paulson’s character Cordelia is still the Supreme. “For now.”
According to Paulson herself, Cordeilia will still be the Supreme, at least for episode one.
“At the beginning of our story that is the title she still holds,” she received at the TCA. “I don’t know how long that’s going to last, and enjoyment is not possible at this juncture in the story,” she added. However: “She’s not running around like her mother and snorting cocaine and throwing young witches against the wall.”
4. Season eight will come with lots of hair.
According to the stars of the show, there will be plenty of amazing hair this season. As Entertainment Weekly reported, Bates’ hair will be shaved on the sides and dyed black.
Bates didn’t exactly mind, as she noted at the TCA event: “It’s not essential to the plot. But it’s fun. I turned 70 this summer, around the same time they did this to me, and it certainly eased the blow. So I’m thinking about keeping it.” Paulson added, “You have a birdcage on your head at some point.”
5. The show returns on September 12.
There truly aren’t any more spoilers floating around, but one other thing we do know is the show is set to premiere Wednesday, Sept. 12, at 10 P.M. ET. Set your iCal reminder now, everyone.
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