‘American Horror Story: Freak Show’ Poster And Teasers: We Are All Freaks

American Horror Story: Covenwent off the rails somewhat, but the great thing aboutRyan Murphy’s FX anthology horror series is that each season is a fresh start. The next season,American Horror Story: Freak Show, will see many of the same cast and crew heading to 1950s Florida, where a “dark entity” emerges.

While Murphy isn’t as secretive as some of his fellow showrunners, he hasn’t said that much about where the new run of episodes might take us. So it’s exciting to get our first glimpse at the cast in costume, includingJessica Lange,Kathy Bates,Michael Chiklis, and so many more. See the newAmerican Horror Story Freak Showposter and teasers after the jump.

American Horror Story Freak Show poster

Though the tone, setting, characters, and storyline are all new, Murphy saidAmerican Horror Story: Freak Showdoes tie in with some of the same themes laid out in earlier seasons.

At every freak show, you have the tropes but there’s some [that are] unique and weird. It’s about something: It’s about outcasts and how society at that time … true stories about circus performers who were cast aside. The story in many ways dovetails with Asylum, because they leave one era and you can see many of them in real life were put into asylums. There’s a great symmetry we’ve come up with that’s rewarding.

Here are the latestAmerican Horror Story: Freak Showteasers, titled “Caged” and “Spotlight,” respectively.

And here are the two released previously.

Determined fans may find a clue or two in the teasers, but since they don’t include any actual footage from the show they’re more about setting a mood than anything else. On that front, they do a fantastic job.

Much more revealing is the newAmerican Horror Story Freak Showposter. In contrast to the dark imagery of seasons past, this one is filled with faded pastels. Nevertheless, Murphy promises the new season will be “darker than Coven.”

Working from top to bottom and left to right, we haveSarah Paulsonas Bette and Dot Tattler,Denis O’Harein an unnamed role,Kathy Batesas bearded lady Effil Darling,Angela Bassetthree-breasted woman Desiree Dupree,Frances Conroyin another unnamed role,Michael Chiklisas strongman Wendell Del Toredo,Jessica Langeas freak show manager Elsa Mars, andEvan Petersas Effil’s son Jimmy.

Not everyone here has an obvious physical deformity, but we’ll surely find out what makes them freakish on the inside. After all, the hashtag #WirSindAlleFreaks translates to “we are all freaks.”

American Horror Story: Freak Showopen its curtains Wednesday,October 8at 10 PM on FX. Other stars includeEmma Roberts,Gabourey Sidibe,Wes Bentley,John Carroll Lynch,Finn Wittrock,Jyoti Amge.Patti LaBelleandMatt Bomerare expected to guest star.