Ryan Murphy Says ‘American Horror Story’ Season 13 Is Not a ‘Coven’ Sequel but ‘All the Seasons’ Combined: ‘Sarah Paulson Is Playing Five or Six Roles … It’s Like the Avengers’

Ryan Murphy has revealed more details about the upcoming 13th season of “American Horror Story,” saying that it’s not a “Coven” continuation but actually “all the seasons” combined.

Speaking at the premiere of his new show “The Shards,” Murphy revealed to Entertainment Tonight: “Everybody thinks it’s a ‘Coven’ season and it’s not. It’s all the seasons.”

He continued, “So Sarah Paulson is playing six or seven roles. Jessica Lange is playing all four of her iconic characters. Evan Peters is playing five characters, and of course Kathy Bates and Emma Roberts and Billie Lourd. It’s like the Avengers! They all come together to defeat the ultimate evil.”

Rumors had been swirling that the new “AHS” installment would be a spinoff or sequel to its beloved third season after on-set photos emerged of Paulson, Roberts and more cast members dressed as witches.

Murphy admitted that many of the OG “American Horror Story” cast members had “said no” to returning over the years, but once he pitched them this idea “they were like, ‘Well, OK, we’ve gotta come back for that.'”