With the title of Season 10 released just days ago, theories regarding American Horror Story’s newest plot are well underway. As seen in the teaser clip posted by creator Ryan Murphy, the season will have “Two horrifying stories. One by the sea... One by the sand,” confirming original fan-speculation that the show’s tenth installment would have an aquatic theme.
While a theme is known, the current filming location could also point toward a Jaws-inspired storyline. As previously established, part of American Horror Story will film in Los Angeles, but a portion of the latest season, titled "Double Feature," will film in Provincetown, Massachusetts. With Cape Cod being the famous filming location of Jaws, at least a few nods to the iconic shark-centered film are probable. But, as some fans point out, trying to remake such a classic is sure to be a recipe for failure.
A Likely Direction
In past seasons, the horror anthology has incorporated historical figures into their stories, though taken creative liberties when doing so. Angela Bassett's character from Season 3, for instance, was inspired by the real-life Marie Laveau. Referred to as the "Voodoo Queen," Bassett reprised her role in the show's eighth season. Within the same storyline, the notoriously grotesque mistress and slave owner, Delphine LaLaurie (Kathy Bates), appeared alongside Laveau.
Over the years, a handful of characters, based on well-known serial killers, have also been thrown into the mix. John Wayne Gacy (John Carroll Lynch), Jeffrey Dahmer (Seth Gabel), "the Zodiac Killer" (an uncredited extra) and Richard Ramirez (Zach Villa) were all depicted in Season 5. Made infamous for terrorizing the state of California in the 80s, and by way of several movies and true-crime documentaries, the real-life Ramirez was convicted for thirteen counts of murder in 1989. Better known as "the Night Stalker," Villa's Ramirez was later added to Season 9's American Horror Story: 1984 with a reoccurring role.
Although AHS bases many characters on real-life people, the series also threads real-life crimes into its storylines. Taking it back to Season 1, the series directly drew inspiration from the 1999 Columbine shootings for the season’s sixth episode, titled “Piggy, Piggy.” In the episode, Tate Langdon (Evan Peters) retaliates against high school bullies when he goes on a mass killing spree. Another example is the entirety of Season 6. Titled "Roanoke," the season's premise is based on the lost colony, as well as the supernatural stories associated with it. While the supernatural elements are theories passed down from generation to generation, several of the featured characters are based on real-life people that actually went missing in Roanoke.
Given Murphy's track record of incorporating serial killers and real-life events into the show, a story revolving around true-crime is likely on the horizon. Theorized as early as May of last year, some fans hypothesize Season 10 of AHS could delve into the unsolved true-crime story of "Lady of the Dunes." Discovered in the mid-1970s, "Lady of the Dunes" was the name given to an unidentified homicide victim. Further adding fuel to the fan-speculation fire, the crime notoriously took place in Cape Cod's Provincetown.
Considering the case's status, American Horror Story has a considerable amount of source material to work with and an opportunity to take the storyline in numerous directions, possibly even one involving vampires. Though a Jaws-themed season may not pan out after all, perhaps a "Lady of the Dunes" storyline that includes a few campy, Jaws-inspired jokes could make for an interesting tale.