Summary

• The Great Lillian Hall reunites AHS: Coven stars, bringing a sense of nostalgia to fans of the iconic season.
• The movie features Jessica Lange, Lily Rabe, and Kathy Bates in a story unrelated to AHS, promising compelling performances from the talented cast.
• Even after a decade, the AHS actors' reunion adds familiarity and excitement to The Great Lillian Hall, sparking interest in their evolved artistry.

Ten years after American Horror Story: Coven's release, an upcoming HBO film is reuniting its key cast members. Serving as the third installment of the FX horror anthology series, American Horror Story: Coven ranks among the highest-viewed seasons of the franchise and even boasts an impressive Rotten Tomatoes score of 85%. After its release in 2013, the season even earned seventeen Primetime Emmy Award nominations, making it one of the most successful additions to the Ryan Murphy franchise.

Although many factors contributed to the season's success, the incredible performances of its talented cast played a crucial role in making its story beats impactful and memorable. Unfortunately, since American Horror Story is an anthology, season 3's actors never shared the screen again like they did in Coven. Even in the future, it seems unlikely that the primary cast members of American Horror Story: Coven will be seen together in the series. However, an upcoming HBO movie is about to bring them together in an unofficial reunion.

HBO's The Great Lillian Hall Serves As An American Horror Story: Coven Reunion

Four AHS: Coven Stars Are Reuniting In The Great Lillian Hall

Narratively, HBO's upcoming film, The Great Lillian Hall, may have nothing in common with American Horror Story. However, its cast surprisingly includes Jessica Lange, Lily Rabe, and Kathy Bates, who are all American Horror Story veterans. The last time all three actors had major roles in the same installment of the Ryan Murphy series was in American Horror Story season 3. It has been nearly a decade since the season's release, and the actors have not had the opportunity to share the screen until now.

The Great Lillian Hall has no underlying connections with AHS, but the actors' reunion unintentionally adds a layer of nostalgia to the film.

Interestingly, The Great Lillian Hall's director, Michael Cristofer, was also a cast member in American Horror Story: Coven. He played the millionaire witch-hunter, Harrison Renard, in the series and appeared in three episodes. The fact that four actors involved in the same American Horror Story season are now reuniting for The Great Lillian Hall makes the movie an intriguing project for viewers who followed the actors' journey in the Ryan Murphy anthology series. The Great Lillian Hall has no underlying connections with AHS, but the actors' reunion unintentionally adds a layer of nostalgia to the film.

What Is The Great Lillian Hall About?

The Great Lillian Hall Is About The Struggles Of A Broadway Star

According to The Great Lillian Hall's logline, the film follows a beloved Broadway star, Lillian Range, who has dedicated all her time to preparing for an upcoming big role. However, her story takes a grim turn when sudden confusion and forgetfulness hits her. As she struggles to make it to her opening night while somehow holding on to the remnants of her memory and identity, her emotional journey teaches her a lot about what the spotlight means to her and how it compares to the real world's expectations of her.

As its plot suggests, The Great Lillian Hall does not fall under the horror genre. However, the movie's cast promises it will be as compelling (if not more) as American Horror Story: Coven. The Great Lillian Hall is scheduled to be released on HBO on May 31, 2024, at 8 pm ET/PT.

The Great Lillian Hall will also be available on Max for streaming.

Why The Great Lillian Hall's AHS Cast Reunion Is So Exciting

The Reunion Instills A Sense Of Nostalgia

Jessica Lange, Lily Rabe, and Kathy Bates may never share the screen again in American Horror Story. However, their reunion in The Great Lillian Hall gives a semblance of continuity to the emotional investment viewers had with their characters. Throughout their AHS journeys in season 3, the three actors also had incredible on-screen chemistry, making their well-written characterizations even more compelling. By featuring them together in another original story, The Great Lillian Hall not only reminds viewers of their shared screen time in AHS but also raises intrigue about what else they can bring to the table with their on-screen dynamic.

Although The Great Lillian Hall will follow an original screenplay, the AHS reunion will add a sense of familiarity to the film, allowing it to resonate more deeply with audiences who followed their Coven arcs.

Their reunion also makes one curious about how they have individually evolved as artists outside their AHS roles. It makes one wonder how their matured perspectives and unique acting experiences have changed them over the years. Although The Great Lillian Hall will follow an original screenplay, the AHS reunion will add a sense of familiarity to the film, allowing it to resonate more deeply with audiences who followed their Coven arcs. Such cast reunions also rarely happen in television and movies, making The Great Lillian casting choices even more exciting.

Which Other AHS Seasons The Great Lillian Hall's Cast Members Appeared In

All Three Actresses Have Appeared In Several Other Seasons

The Great Lillian Hall's director, Michael Cristofer, was only a part of American Horror Story season 3's episodes 9, 10, and 11 as Harrison Renard. Kathy Bates, on the other hand, started her AHS journey with season 3's episode 1 as Madame Delphine LaLaurie and showed up in all Coven episodes. With what followed, she returned to the series as Ethel Darling in nearly all season 4 episodes and was also a part of season 5 and season 6 as Iris and Thomasin "The Butcher" White, respectively. After not appearing in season 7, Bates was back again in season 8 as Miriam Mead.

Compared to Kathy Bates, Lily Rabe has had an even longer tenure with American Horror Story. She has appeared in every season except for season 7. Jessica Lange's time with the Ryan Murphy show has been no less significant, as she has starred in seasons 1, 2, 3, 4, and 8, playing myriad characters like Constance Langdon, Sister Jude Martin, Fiona Goode, and Elsa Mars. Hopefully, even after their reunion on HBO's The Great Lillain Hall, the talented American Horror Story actresses will get to collaborate again in the near future.