AMERICAN HORROR STORY Companion Series AMERICAN CRIME STORY in Development
As fans are counting down the hours to the premiere of American Horror Story: Freak Show tonight, news comes from Deadline that we are going to see a companion series. That show will be called American Crime Story, and it's being developed by FX and AHS creator Ryan Murphy.
If you couldn't tell from the title, the series will focus on some of the most famous true crime stories that have ever happened. The series will launch with one of the biggest cases in the past few decades — the murder trial of O.J. Simpson. FX has already given the series a 10-episode, straight-to-series order, and it will be titled, American Crime Story: The People Vs. O.J. Simpson.
This is actually a fantastic idea that I could see being a huge hit for the network. Lots of people are interested in true crime stories. I've actually done a ridiculous amount of research on a ton of stories like this, and people have done some pretty messed up things that will make for great installments of a series like this.
The first season will be based on the book The Run of His Life: The People V. O.J. Simpson by Jeffrey Toobin. FX Networks CEO John Landgraf said in a statement,
“Time and time again, Ryan Murphy has transformed the medium of television by redefining genres and formats as he did with Nip/Tuck, Glee and the American Horror Story franchise, and we expect the same of American Crime Story. Scott and Larry have adapted Jeffrey Toobin’s book into a masterful 10-hour piece. I have no doubt that Ryan and his partners Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, Brad Falchuk, and Dante Di Loreto are going to make something very memorable here – and that it will be a spectacular first entry in what is destined to become a series of great true crime-based miniseries.”
Murphy added,
“This is an exciting project for me, as I’ve been looking for the right property which could serve as an extension of the American Horror Story brand I love so much. The O.J. case was as tragic as it was fascinating — it seemed like everyone had a stake in the outcome. It was really the beginning of the modern tabloid age.”
According to the report, "American Crime Story: The People V. O.J. Simpson is a look at the Simpson trial told from the perspective of the lawyers that explores the chaotic behind-the-scenes dealings and maneuvering on both sides of the court, and how a combination of prosecution confidence, defense wiliness, and the LAPD’s history with the city’s black community gave a jury what it needed: reasonable doubt."