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Sarah Paulson returns for Season 10 of 'American Horror Story' on FX
All Your AHS Faves Are Creepier Than Ever In The Double Feature Trailer

This season is def channeling The Shining.

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It's been a decade since fans were first introduced to Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk's "murder house" in Season 1 of American Horror Story. From ghosts to killers to an iconic rubber bodysuit, viewers were both shocked and delighted by the Glee creators' dark series. In the years since, viewers have been enchanted and horrified to see what the duo comes up with each new season. While there are still a lot of mysteries surrounding the next installment, here's everything to know about American Horror Story Season 10 — including the title, trailer, and release date news — to get you ready for some new frights in 2021.

For many, autumn isn't complete without a new season of AHS. And while seeing what new horror the creators whipped up is thrilling, half the fun of the show is the anticipation. In the years since AHS fans were introduced to the series, they've experienced a wide array of horror, much of which is loosely based on real events and American folklore. Viewers have fallen victim to an old asylum, a creepy killer clown, and a hotel that seems to murder its own guests — and that's just the start.

While you might have thought you've seen it all, Murphy always seems to have another scary story up his sleeve. The frustration (or excitement) for fans, however, is his infamous tendency to keep the seasons' themes and details well under wraps. Ahead of each season, he releases a few clues for fans to devour and dissect. This is what fans are working with so far:

American Horror Story Season 10 Title

Murphy revealed the AHS Season 10 title on his Twitter on Friday, March 19, posting a short video. In the clip, the series' Season 10 title is quickly unveiled as AHS: Double Feature. The teaser continued to give a bit more context saying the show will feature "two horrifying stories [in] one season" with "one by the sea" and "one by the sand."

Befitting its title, the new season is broken up into two parts. Part one is called Red Tide, and will focus on sea monsters, while part two, titled Death Valley, will involve an extraterrestrial mystery.

American Horror Story Season 10 Cast

In February 2020, Murphy announced the Season 10 cast via an Instagram post and it's full of series veterans. Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Lily Rabe, Billie Lourd, Leslie Grossman, Kathy Bates, Angelica Ross, Finn Wittrock, and Adina Porter are all returning, and one very interesting newcomer has been added to the cast: Macaulay Culkin, who was mostly retired, is joining as a Season 10 regular.

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On March 23, Murphy released another casting announcement on Instagram, noting model Kaia Gerber will also be in Season 10.

When the Double Feature stories were announced, it was revealed the season would include two casts. All of the previously announced cast members will star in the Red Tide portion, with Death Valley still remaining more of a mystery. AHS newbie Neal McDonough and franchise veteran John Carroll Lynch are the only announced cast members for the second half so far. The alien-based second half will also include historical figure prominent in America’s 1960s politics, such as the Kennedys, Marilyn Monroe, and Richard Nixon. Due to the time period and political nature of these names along with Death Valley’s sandy theme, it’s likely Area 51 will be a major focus.

American Horror Story Season 10 Trailer

The trailer for American Horror Story: Double Feature was released on Tuesday, July 27, teasing out the dual themes of Season 10. The trailer confirmed the first part of the season is entitled Red Tide, and will center on vampiric sea sirens. The second part, titled Death Valley, will bring aliens back into the AHS universe. Aliens were a fan-favorite element in the show’s second season, Asylum, but have not yet reappeared in the series despite fan theories.

While the first trailer focused on the seasons themes, the second trailer finally gave fans a peek at the cast and specifics about the story. The clip centers on Finn Wittrock’s character moving to a coastal town with his wife, played by Lily Rabe, in order to find inspiration for his writing. A mysterious duo played by Evan Peters and Frances Conroy promise him that the town has a strange way of inspiring artists, but that can come at a price.

American Horror Story Season 10 Plot

No specific plot details have been released, but that's not exactly a surprise since each season's story is usually kept top-secret until they're released. Still, Murphy has started dishing out some clues. Back in February 2020, he released a grayscale video of a beach showcasing the upcoming cast list. As the names were displayed over the footage, Orville Peck's moody song "Dead of Night" played. Then in May 2020, he released another beach photo (this time sunny) with a knocked-down fence and a caption reading, "American Horror Story. Clue."

While a water theme seems pretty apparent for Double Feature, Murphy has also been hinting at something involving teeth. In August 2020, he released a photo of a very pointy set of humanoid teeth, and in November 2020 he released an AHS poster with a similar mouth and a geotag of Provincetown, Massachusetts. Many fans are theorizing the Season 10 theme involves sirens or sharks, since Provincetown is known for great white shark sightings, and the 1795 film Jaws was filmed just a few hours away in Cape Cod.

In March 2021, Murphy released another clue, seemingly confirming at least the setting of the season. The AHS creator posted a photo of series veteran Leslie Grossman walking along a beach with newcomer Macaulay Culkin. The pair is dressed in coats and the geotag once again reads Provincetown, Massachusetts. Murphy's caption simply says: "Something wicked this way comes."

Upon the trailer’s release on Tuesday, July 27, it’s clear the season will tell one story about deadly sea sirens and another story about aliens, likely tied to Area 51 in the American 1960s.

The trailer for the first half of Double Feature revealed the story will be heavily inspired by the classic horror movie The Shining, being also about a struggling writer who moves to a strange new place with his family hoping to get some inspiration.

American Horror Story Season 10 Release Date

Double Feature will make its big debut on Aug. 25 on FX, premiering its first two episodes back-to-back. The episodes will become available to stream the next day on Hulu.

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