Prepare for even more American Horror Stories with second season trailer

Already this week, Ryan Murphy has bent reality to his will by manifesting Lea Michele’s dramatic ascension to the role of Fanny Brice. What further horrors could he possibly inflict on society? The answer will always be plenty further, as evidenced by the American Horror Stories second season trailer.

With ten seasons of American Horror Story and a bonus season of the spin-off under their belt, Murphy and co-creator Brad Falchuk have the spooky stuff down to a science. Throw in some body horror, some freaky sex stuff, and a balanced combination of fresh-faced ingenues and older stars on the cusp of a new chapter of their career. All of this is reliably present in the new trailer–plus plenty of blood, of course.

It also wouldn’t be a Ryan Murphy production without a handful of repeat players from his stable of stars: Denis O’Hare is the deeply creepy owner of a living dollhouse; Max Greenfield and Gabourey Sidibe are a couple plagued by ghosts; and it’s unclear what’s going on with Judith Light, except for that she’s back in the saddle for her third Murphy production. Finally, in a real out-of-the-frying pan into the fire scenario, Cody Fern and Nico Greetham are returning to Murphy’s nightmare this season.

Among the newbies is Bella Thorne, who blithely proclaims, “There is not a serial killer that is gonna stop me from doing my thing.” Less confident in their own personal horror stories are Alicia Silverstone, terrorized by a monster in her tub, and Quvenzhané Wallis, taunted by friends for being a “chicken.” Surely, anyone living in the American Horror Story universe is only reacting appropriately to their situation. Of course, it’s ok to behave like a chicken once and a while, especially when you’re in a Ryan Murphy project.

American Horror Stories will return for its eight-episode second season streaming via FX on Hulu. The season premieres on July 21, 2022.