American Crime Story has come to the end of its latest season, dealing with the impeachment of Bill Clinton, but the show has already announced what tale it will be telling in the next chapter of the FX show.
Season 4 of American Crime Story will be set before The People vs. OJ Simpson, The Assassination of Gianna Versace and Impeachment, all of which tell stories from the 1990s.
In fact, it will see producer Ryan Murphy return to an era (and setting) he has already explored in another of his shows.
Here's what we know so far about what to expect from Season 4.
What theme will American Crime Story Season 4 have?
In August 2021, it was announced that ACS would be heading into the 1970s to tell a story of New York nightlife, sex, drugs and tax evasion. The next season will explore Studio 54, the legendary NYC nightclub.
The stories about the decadence of Studio 54 are well-known, and we are likely to see some of them explored in the show. Like the time Bianca Jagger rode a horse into the nightclub, or the time they put an entire petting zoo there for Dolly Parton's birthday. Plus many other tales including legends of New York nightlife like Grace Jones, Debbie Harry, Divine and, of course, Andy Warhol.
In fact, some of these stories have already been told in Halston, Murphy's Netflix series starring Ewan McGregor as the eponymous fashion designer. Specifically, one episode of that show began with someone dying in the air vents of the club—a scene that, amazingly, was based on a true story.
What Halston did not get into, however, was the events that will put the "crime" into American Crime Story. In February 1980, club owners Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager were sentenced to 3.5 years for tax evasion. Police reports at the time said they were hiding cash and receipts in Rubell's office ceiling. Rubell has also previously joked that "only the Mafia does better" than Studio 54 in terms of money.
Though FX has officially announced that Studio 54: American Crime Story is in development, no release date and cast have been announced yet.
There is also a history of ACS seasons being announced but not coming to fruition. The show's second season was set to be about Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath, with Annette Bening, Matthew Broderick and Sarah Paulson signed on (and Dennis Quaid set to play George W. Bush). However, this season was canceled in early 2019. Similarly, a Season 2 of Feud focusing on Prince Charles and Princess Diana was announced by Murphy but also did not end up happening.
American Crime Story is not the only show in the franchise from Murphy coming to FX. An American Sports Story focusing on Aaron Hernandez has been announced, as has an American Love Story based on the marriage of John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette.
Uncommon Knowledge
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