FX Announces ‘American Sports Story’, ‘American Love Story’, and ‘Studio 54: American Crime Story’ from Ryan Murphy

You loved it when Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk made you scream with American Horror Story. You pondered the criminal justice system when they gave you American Crime Story. Now the prolific duo is back with two new American installments: American Sports Story and American Love Story. During the Television Critics Association’s 2021 summer tour, FX announced that it has greenlit two new anthology series, but that’s not all. The network also announced the theme of the next season of its criminal anthology series: Studio 54: American Crime Story.

Let’s start with sports. Go sports! The anthological American Sports Story will focus on a different prominent event involving a sports figure each season, with the goal of re-examining it through today’s lens. So, just like Crime Story but with more balls. And we already know the theme of Season 1. Based on the podcast Gladiator: Aaron Hernandez and Football Inc from the Boston Globe and Wondery, the series will chart the rise and fall of NFL player Aaron Hernandez, from his incredible career to his conviction for the murder of Odin Lloyd and his eventual suicide. Stu Zicherman (The Americans) will serve as the writer and executive producer. Ryan Murphy, Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, Alexis Martin Woodall, and Brad Falchuk will also executive produce. Hernan Lopez and Marshall Lewy of Wondery (Dr. Death) will also join them as EPs as will The Boston Globe’s Linda Pizutti Henry and Ira Napoliello.

Next up is American Love Story. This series will focus on the true love stories that have captured the attention of the world. And what better romance to start with than the courtship and marriage of John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette? In a press release, FX described the story as, “What started out as a beautiful union for the young couple, widely regarded as American royalty, began to fray under the stress of the relentless microscope and navel gaze of tabloid media. The pressures of their careers and rumored family discord ended with their tragic deaths when his private plane crashed into the ocean on a hazy summer night off the coast of Massachusetts.” Murphy, Falchuk, Jacobson, and Woodall are also set to serve as executive producers for American Love Story.

“When Ryan Murphy came to us with these two spinoffs and the stories for American Sports Story and American Love Story, we immediately jumped at the opportunity,” FX head John Landgraf said in a release provided to Decider . “What began with American Horror Story has spawned some of the best and most indelible programs of our generation, most notably American Crime Story which created a beautiful partnership between Ryan, Brad, Nina, and Brad. Their alchemy and the way in which they construct these stories is done with such care, such clarity and such dimensionality that creates the magnificence that is The People v. O.J. Simpson, The Assassination of Gianni Versace, and Impeachment. We can’t wait to see what comes next.”

“More than a decade ago, Ryan Murphy expressed interest in expanding the American Horror Story model to be able to tell different ‘American’ stories, which have long captivated so many of us,” Chair of Entertainment, Walt Disney Company, Dana Walden said. “It was a brilliant idea.  Adding these new installments to the franchise will enable Ryan, Brad, Nina, and Brad and their talented teams to tackle riveting stories outside of the horror and crime genres.”

But this is Ryan Murphy we’re talking about. The man can’t stop at two new shows. Landgraf also announced a new season of Crime Story, Studio 54: American Crime Story. The installment is currently in development and is potentially set to be the fourth season of this series. This chapter will focus on Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager, who turned their midtown Manhattan disco into “an international mecca of nightlife for the rich and famous and commoners alike.” But with this lofty rise came a devastating fall less than three years later due to tax fraud. This is far form the first time Murphy has played with the history of Studio 54. American Horror Story: Cult dipped its toes into the space, transforming Andy Warhol (Evan Peters) into a literal cult leader. And Netflix’s Halston spent much of its runtime either in or talking about the club.

Doubling down on the American Story franchise is frankly a brilliant move on FX’s part. American Sports Story and American Love Story will join American Crime Story, American Horror Story, and American Horror Stories, all of which are under Murphy and Falchuk’s umbrella. In total this franchise has earned 141 Emmy nominations and won FX 33 Emmy Awards. Shockingly, this move is also one that doesn’t violate Murphy’s $300 million deal with Netflix.

In 2018 it was announced that the streaming giant made a staggering five-year exclusivity deal with the super producer. If you’re a nerd like us and are wondering how anyone can make a new show on a different network while being paid to be exclusive, it all comes down to American Story as a franchise. Murphy is allowed to make spinoffs for his currently running series for Fox and FX. That’s how we got 9-1-1: Lone Star and American Horror Stories. American Sports Story and American Love Story are just extensions of that loophole. Regardless of the logistics, we’re the real winners here. Who doesn’t want more of the Murphyverse?

Impeachment: American Crime Story, Season 3 in the anthology series, premieres on FX September 7.