Evan Peters revealed he was both shocked and thrilled to learn that Jessica Lange is returning for American Horror Story Season 13. The actor, who is set to rejoin the series himself, made the comments in a recent interview about the highly anticipated new season, which will bring together a massive group of fan-favorite actors from the show’s past. Lange’s comeback is a major surprise for fans and the cast alike, as the Oscar-winning actress had repeatedly stated she was done with the series. The new season, described by Peters as a “greatest-hits season” with an “alumni” cast, is scheduled to premiere on October 31, 2026, on FX.
Evan Peters Reacts to Jessica Lange’s Major Comeback
During an interview for his new FX show The Beauty, Evan Peters spoke about returning to the world of American Horror Story. He admitted that news of Jessica Lange’s return caught him completely off guard.
“Yes! Yeah, Ryan knows how to have those dinners. He will get you in a second. I was definitely shocked, but thrilled, honestly,” Peters said.
His surprise is understandable. Jessica Lange, now 76, has been very direct in past interviews about not returning to the series. After starring in the first four celebrated seasons, she left the show in 2015. In a 2025 radio interview, when asked if she would come back for a final season, she laughed and said, “Oh Christ, no… I haven’t done it for more than 10, 12 years, so no, I’m not doing it”. She expressed similar sentiments in 2019, telling Entertainment Weekly, “I don’t think so. I feel like I got the best of it in those first four seasons”. Her brief appearance in Season 8, Apocalypse, was a special reprisal of her role as Constance Langdon, which she indicated at the time felt like enough. Peters and Lange share a special history on the show, most notably playing mother and son (Constance and Tate Langdon) in the groundbreaking first season, Murder House.
A Star-Studded Alumni Cast Assembles for Season 13
Evan Peters explained that the chance to work with this specific group of people was a primary reason for his own return. He last appeared in Season 10, Double Feature, in 2021.
“First of all, it’s working with Ryan again, but second of all, he’s assembled the cast from all the different seasons,” Peters shared. “It’s sort of an alumni, and we’re all getting back together to do this greatest-hits season. So we’ll see what he writes and what it brings. But just the chance to be able to work with Sarah, Jessica, Kathy, Angela again and everybody involved. I’m interested to see what the scenes are and how it all plays out”.
The cast list for Season 13 reads like a hall of fame for the series. Alongside Jessica Lange and Evan Peters, it includes:
- Sarah Paulson
- Angela Bassett
- Kathy Bates
- Emma Roberts
- Billie Lourd
- Gabourey Sidibe
- Leslie Grossman
Notably, the return of Lange, Bassett, Bates, and Sidibe together has sparked fan speculation that the new season could revisit the storylines of Season 3, Coven, which featured all of them. The only major new addition to the AHS family is singer and actor Ariana Grande. Grande is a longtime fan of the series and previously worked with Ryan Murphy on Scream Queens. She also starred alongside Evan Peters in her 2024 music video for “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)”.
Sarah Paulson’s Eagerness to Reunite with the Cast
Another key star returning, Sarah Paulson, has also expressed strong feelings about coming back. Paulson, who has appeared in more seasons than any other actor, recently explained why she needed a break from the intense production schedule. She described the physical and mental toll of filming horror, noting that her body reacts to simulated terror as if it were real. However, after time away, her desire to return grew.
“I missed it, and I’m really looking forward to doing it again,” Paulson said. “It was like this dovetailing of my longing for it, and the idea that I would be reunited with [all of them] just came together at the right time”.
Paulson and Peters publicly joked about reuniting for a new season while presenting an award at the 77th Emmy Awards in September 2025. Series creator Ryan Murphy has also hinted at the collaborative spirit behind the new season, mentioning conversations with both Paulson and Peters about getting “the band back together”.
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Season 13 Release Details and Filming Schedule
American Horror Story fans have a specific date to mark on their calendars. Season 13 is scheduled to premiere on Halloween, October 31, 2026, on the FX network. As is standard for FX series, new episodes will be available to stream on Hulu the following day in the United States. For international audiences, the season will likely be available on Disney+ under the Star content hub, following the pattern of previous seasons. While official plot details are still under wraps, production is expected to begin very soon. Multiple reports indicate that filming will start in early February 2026. The season was officially announced with a teaser on Ryan Murphy Productions’ Instagram on Halloween 2025, set to Vera Lynn’s cover of “I’ll Be Seeing You”.
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