Ryan Murphy is one of the most revered names in television thanks to shows like “American Horror Story,” “Love Story,” and “American Crime Story.” However, after premiering earlier this year, one of his newer shows, FX’s “The Beauty,” has essentially been placed on indefinite hiatus.
Deadline reported on July 13 that the options on the cast, which includes Evan Peters, Rebecca Hall, and Ashton Kutcher, have expired. This means the actors have been released from any obligations related to “The Beauty.” The show was created by Murphy and Matthew Hodgson. It’s based on a comic book series by Jeremy Haun and Jason A. Hurley.
However, as Deadline notes, the cast being released does not necessarily mean the show couldn’t return in the future. Not only does the plot lend itself to a return with an all-new cast, but Murphy and FX could also bring back some of the season one actors in the future if they’re not committed to other projects.
Ryan Murphy’s ‘The Beauty’ Has Strong Reviews
“The Beauty” premiered on January 21 with three episodes. The network then dropped one new episode per week until the season concluded on March 4, for a total of 11 episodes. While not as well received as the best years of “American Horror Story,” “The Beauty” was a hit with critics and fans despite not having universal appeal.
Currently, the show has a 70% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from critics. Regarding the audience score, it sits at a fairly healthy 64%. “The Beauty” was also decently popular. FX released the trailer for the show in early January, and according to Deadline, over 190 million people watched it in the first seven days. This made it the network’s most popular trailer.
On streaming, “The Beauty” quickly shot to number one among series on Disney+.
‘American Horror Story’ Season 13 Has a Premiere Date
GettyIn addition to “The Beauty,” Murphy has several other shows in various stages of development. This includes season 13 of “American Horror Story,” which will premiere on September 24 on FX. The long-running series will then stream on Hulu the following day.
Regarding the cast, it includes Jessica Lange, who is returning after a multi-season hiatus; Sarah Paulson; Emma Roberts; Kathy Bates; Angela Bassett; Gabourey Sidibe; and, of course, Peters, who has not appeared on the show since season 10. It’s also important to note that Ariana Grande was slated to appear but has since pulled out due to scheduling conflicts with her tour.
Additionally, the “Beauty” creator has a new show, “The Shards,” premiering on FX and Hulu on August 5. The show is based on the Bret Easton Ellis novel of the same name. It stars Igby Rigney, Kaia Gerber, and Homer Gere.
The fourth installment on Murphy’s “Monster” series, titled “The Lizzie Borden Story,” is also in the works for Netflix. According to Variety, filming began in October 2025 in Los Angeles. Production is said to have wrapped in May 2026. Currently, it’s unclear when the fourth season of “Monster” will premiere.
