If there is one absolute constant in Hollywood, it is that the Ryan Murphy production calendar looks like a high-stakes game of television Tetris. Between preparing for “American Horror Story” Season 13 and getting ready to unleash “Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story,” the prolific creator remains the undisputed master of keeping audiences perpetually unsettled. Yet during a candid interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Murphy offered a rare glimpse into his future. He’s admitting that he will likely need to dial back his output in the coming years. Why? To spend more time with his three young children.
“You have to figure out what you’re interested in doing next, and I’m lucky enough that I have really great partners who want to do this and that. I haven’t figured it out yet,” Murphy explains. “I have many things coming out between August and Christmas, and I’m sort of plotting out my next two years. I don’t think I’ll ever do as much again as I did this year because I have three young children.”
Plotting the Next Two Years of TV Dominance
With a massive slate of projects launching between late summer and the end of the year, Murphy is currently mapping out his schedule for the next two years. However, he readily acknowledged that his recent workaholic pace is not sustainable long-term.
His creative process remains fluid. Murphy explained that every project begins with a simple spark of personal curiosity. However, not every concept makes it across the finish line. In fact, he revealed that he and frequent collaborator Ian Brennan wrote two complete scripts for different installments of the Monster franchise before abandoning them, realizing the story did not feel right.
He continues, “With me, it always starts with the idea: What are you interested in? And sometimes, you work on something and abandon it. We were doing an entire other Monster season — Ian [Brennan] and I wrote two of them. And it didn’t feel right. So sometimes, I work on something and kick the can down the road.”
Blood, Books, and a European Excursion
Just as fans were processing the idea of a slightly less overstacked Ryan Murphy, he dropped an irresistible teaser regarding his next major production. Starting this December, Murphy will head to Europe. He’s set to begin filming a brand-new vampire project, a horror subgenre he has been eager to tackle for years.
Murphy teases, “The next thing I’m doing, I start shooting in December in Europe —I’ve always wanted to do a vampire story, and I always wondered why nobody has made a show about these characters I love [from a book and movie adaptation]. So that’s the next thing I’m going to tackle.”
While keeping the specific title under wraps, Murphy offered just enough intriguing details to set gothic horror fans abuzz. He revealed that the show centers on beloved figures adapted from a cherished book and film property. He expressed genuine surprise that no one had ever brought those specific characters to the small screen before. The detail reveals that it won’t be a take on Dracula. So, what will it be? Murphy is known for teasing fans and waiting until the last moment for big reveals. It seems the new series will follow his usual pattern. But that’s no big surprise. Between his upcoming shoot, “American Horror Story” Season 14, and his packed slate, Murphy may be looking to slow down eventually. However, it won’t be any time soon.
