“American Horror Story” Season 10 production has been temporarily halted due to a positive COVID-19 case and potential exposure to the illness, Variety has learned. The positive case was in what’s been termed “Zone A” in COVID-production protocol, and was an actor on the show.
Originally scheduled to premiere on FX in late 2020, production on the Ryan Murphy horror series was delayed due to the pandemic. Season 10 began filming in December, and has not had any previous shutdowns. News of the production’s suspension — which likely will last until at least the end of the week— follows growing concerns about a rise in COVID cases and a new indoor mask mandate “regardless of vaccination status” being instated and implemented by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health this past week.
The tenth season of the series, entitled “American Horror Story: Double Feature,” is slated to premiere Aug. 25 at 10 p.m. on FX. The season is divided into two parts, with two separate stories and mostly separate casts. Part 2 is currently filming.
“Double Feature” stars Macaulay Culkin, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Kathy Bates, Leslie Grossman, Billie Lourd, Adina Porter, Lily Rabe, Angelica Ross, Finn Wittrock and Kaia Gerber.
Calls to Disney, which produces “American Horror Story,” and an email to FX were not returned.
In the new agreement between the studios and the unions, which were announced on Monday, producers can mandate that those in Zone A must be vaccinated.
“American Horror Story” is not the only show to be besieged by the virus. This past weekend, production on Season 2 of Netflix’s “Bridgerton” shut down for an indefinite period of time following its second COVID-19 case in a week.
The “American Horror Story” franchise kicked off in 2011 with the flagship “Murder House” installment. Throughout its nine editions thus far, it has averaged almost 10 million total viewers per episode across linear and non-linear platforms, and has been nominated for 95 Emmy Awards, winning 16 trophies over the last eight years. The franchise’s “American Horror Stories” spinoff recently debuted its inaugural season July 15 with back-to-back episodes on FX on Hulu.
