Development On November 10, 2015, the network renewed the series for a sixth cycle; which premiered on September 14, 2016. In August 2015, co-creator
Ryan Murphy commented on the sixth year, stating, "The next thing we're crafting up is very very different than [
Hotel], not smaller. But just not opulent. More rogue and more dark." In October 2015, when questioned about clues and hints alluding to the sixth season (as has been the status quo since the first season of the series) in
Hotel, Murphy revealed he had yet to definitively decide on a theme, "This is an interesting year in that the idea that we're dealing with I've mentioned in several seasons. It's been there before. We've actually talked about it a lot on the show. I might do that for season 7 but I'm leaning towards that for season 6." In January 2016,
FX president
John Landgraf revealed that the season will be "principally set in the present", with a dual timeline in "echoes of the past". He also confirmed a fall 2016 premiere. At the 2016 PaleyFest, Murphy divulged that the two previous ideas [the writers] had been considering had been merged into season six, saying it will involve children and operatic themes. The season will consist of 10 episodes, the least in a given cycle, in the show's history; with the finale scheduled to air November 16, 2016. On September 1, 2016, it was reported by
Entertainment Weekly that the season was possibly subtitled
The Mist, as a
Rotten Tomatoes page and
TV Guide magazine had printed; which was later proven untrue. There is a direct connection to
Freak Show with an exploration of the Mott family origin. In a late September issue of
Entertainment Weekly, Falchuk and Murphy revealed there would be a major twist coming to the series in "Chapter 6". Murphy said of the matter, "You'll see starting in episode 6, the show has a huge turn, and the thing that you think you're watching is not what you're watching, It's a hat on a hat on a hat on a hat that we've had to protect." Falchuk added, "No matter what you think it is, it's not that. Then, episode 6 comes, and you're like, 'Wait! What happened?' It's like [episodes] 1–5, 6–9, and 10 is its own thing." Murphy went on to confirm the turn in the season being a behind-the-camera look at the production of the faux-documentary
My Roanoke Nightmare. He also stated that the final episode will feature characters, and their mythologies, that will continue on in the overall series.
Set design Colonial ware and design are incorporated into the season, which is theorized to be, at least partially, set in 1590
Roanoke, North Carolina. A pioneer cottage is incorporated in
Santa Clarita, California. The set is fully dressed in time-period appropriate dressings, including an etched tree. A three-story set built in
Malibu Canyon was not permitted properly, and after being torn down in October 2016, FX "will be required to do extensive restoration."
Casting In October 2015, Murphy tweeted that he had asked
Lady Gaga to join the untitled season, but did not expect an answer anytime soon. She later confirmed her involvement in March 2016.
Emma Roberts had stated that she and Murphy have talked about a "devilish" role for her in the season. Despite this, Roberts did not appear in the season.
Taissa Farmiga was heavily rumored to be involved with the season in some form. Murphy later confirmed that Farmiga would appear late in the season. In February 2016,
Angela Bassett confirmed her return to the series during an interview on
Larry King Now, being the first cast member added to the season 6 roster. She portrays Monet Tumusiime, a re-enactor of the documentary's horrific events. At PaleyFest, Murphy invited
Kathy Bates,
Denis O'Hare,
Sarah Paulson,
Finn Wittrock,
Cheyenne Jackson,
Wes Bentley, and
Matt Bomer to return to the show for its sixth season. In May 2016,
Jessica Lange stated in an interview with
Charlie Rose, that she would not be returning for the sixth or any other future season of the series; saying, "No, I had four years with that, four seasons, and each year was a marvelous character, everything changed from one year to another which made it very interesting to me. But no, I think sometimes you come to the end of something... In June 2016,
Leslie Jordan, who appeared in
Coven, announced his return to the series, stating he had been approached to appear in
Freak Show, but declined. He was surprised to get a call from Murphy again. Later in the month, Bomer, Jackson, and
Evan Peters confirmed their involvement with the sixth season. O'Hare stated he would return in some capacity in a May 2016 interview.
Us Weekly has reported the returns of Bentley, Bates, and Wittrock. In an early August 2016 interview with
Glamour, series veteran
Sarah Paulson announced her return for the sixth year. She said of the show, "I just think I have the greatest job on the planet because my TV show [
American Horror Story] is going into its sixth season and I'm playing an entirely different character, like nothing I've ever played." She plays the featured re-enactor in the horrific documentary. On Halloween 2016, Murphy announced the return of Paulson's
Asylum character,
Lana Winters.
TMZ reported the casting of
The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story actor
Cuba Gooding Jr. He plays the co-lead of the
My Roanoke Nightmare documentary. In September 2016,
Jacob Artist announced his involvement with the sixth season. In the same month, the main casting was announced after the first episode with the addition of
André Holland and series veteran
Lily Rabe portraying the real-life couple, Matt Miller (Lee's brother) and his wife Shelby from the documentary's interviews.
Adina Porter, after a small guest appearance on
an episode of
Murder House, portrayed the real Lee Harris.
Filming In March 2016, the series received a major
tax credit for filming of the season in Los Angeles, California. Cast member
Angela Bassett, along with
Jennifer Lynch,
Marita Grabiak,
Gwyneth Horder-Payton,
Elodie Keene, and Alexis Korycinski were set as directors during the season, marking the first time women have served in the capacity on the show. On August 1, 2016,
TMZ published photographs of the
American Horror Story set in
Santa Clarita, California; that consists of a small
Pioneer home, and a tree with the word "Croatoan" carved into its center. Both of these things are attributed to the
1590 colony of 117 people, in Roanoke, North Carolina, that disappeared without a trace, and the only clue left was the carving – the name being a nearby island and tribe of Native Americans. Later,
TMZ unveiled more set photos from an unknown California forest. ==Marketing==