Ryan Murphy Teases ‘AHS 13’ ‘Greatest Hits’ Amid Grande Exit

Ryan Murphy has billed “American Horror Story” Season 13 as a “greatest hits” chapter, with returning stars set to reprise multiple characters from across the anthology’s history.

The reveal comes after Ariana Grande exited the season due to a scheduling conflict with her ongoing “Eternal Sunshine Tour.”

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Ryan Murphy is turning “American Horror Story” Season 13 into a full-blown reunion, with several franchise favorites returning in multiple iconic roles.

Jessica Lange is back as a season regular more than a decade after stepping away from the anthology, reprising all four of her former characters, including Constance Langdon and Fiona Goode. Evan Peters will take on five past roles, while Sarah Paulson is set to revisit six.

Angela Bassett returns as Marie Laveau, Emma Roberts as Madison Montgomery, Jamie Brewer as Adelaide “Addie” Langdon, Mena Suvari as the Black Dahlia, and John Carroll Lynch as Twisty the Clown.

Season 13 Also Makes Room For New Faces

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The season will not rely entirely on familiar faces, however. Paul Anthony Kelly joins in a mysterious new role that Murphy called the “linchpin” of the story. Joey Pollari also plays a key new character named Ben.

John Waters, Alex Consani and Avantika Vandanapu are among the other additions. “AHS: 13” premieres September 24 on FX and Hulu.

Ryan Murphy Wanted An ‘AHS’ Greatest Hits Season

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Murphy says the number 13 pushed him toward something bigger than a standard new chapter of “American Horror Story.”

Speaking to Vogue, the producer said he wanted the season to feel like a “greatest hits” edition, with the franchise’s strongest villains and classic characters colliding inside a fresh story.

Murphy said he even studied fan polls and made his own list of the show’s top 10 characters, admitting, “I’m always lurking online.”

But he stressed that the new season is not simply a Coven revival. Instead, he and Brad Falchuk built a 13-episode story designed to bring some of the anthology’s “baddies” together for a larger threat.

Murphy has compared the concept to the “Avengers” of “American Horror Story,” with familiar characters joining forces against what he called an “ultimate evil.”

He would not reveal exactly what they are facing, though he offered one ominous clue. After noting that the franchise has already tackled the Antichrist, Murphy teased: “Let’s go above his pay grade for this.”

Tour Clash Knocks Ariana Grande Out Of ‘AHS’

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One big name will be missing when “American Horror Story” returns. As reported previously by The Blast, Ariana Grande has dropped out of Season 13 after production changes created a clash with her ongoing “Eternal Sunshine Tour.” She had been announced for the cast last October but reportedly exited before filming any scenes.

The appearance would have reunited Grande with Murphy more than a decade after she played Chanel #2 on his Fox horror-comedy “Scream Queens.”

Details surrounding her planned character were never revealed. Grande had previously suggested the part would be small, saying that she expected to have a “very tiny thing” to do. “I’ll be grateful to be a part of it because I love everyone involved,” she said at the time.

Grande’s touring schedule has already undergone several adjustments. Shows in New York and Boston were moved earlier this summer after she cited production issues and said safety was the priority. For now, her return to Murphy’s horror universe will have to wait.

Ryan Murphy Clears The Air On Ariana Grande’s ‘AHS’ Exit

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According to Murphy, Grande’s “American Horror Story” departure was far less dramatic behind the scenes than it may have looked from the outside.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, the producer said Grande had expressed doubts from the beginning because she expected to tour. When the time came to shoot her episode, he called her, and she admitted she did not know how she could make both commitments work.

Murphy said he simply offered to move the idea to another season. “I said, ‘OK, if you can’t, we can push to another season.’ She said, ‘Great,’” he recalled. He also pushed back on any suggestion of friction, calling the exit “really, truly a scheduling conflict.”

Murphy said he remains eager to work with Grande again and described the abandoned role as “a very big swing” that could still resurface depending on her availability. “I love her, and I support her,” he added.