Evan Peters was "shocked" to find out Jessica Lange is returning to American Horror Story

Asked if he was surprised Jessica was returning, he told The Hollywood Reporter: "Yes!

"Yeah, Ryan knows how to have those dinners. He will get you in a second. I was definitely shocked, but thrilled, honestly."

Evan, 38, has continued to collaborate with Ryan, 60, since his AHS departure, as they worked together on Netflix's Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, and new FX show The Beauty.

And he couldn't resist the chance to reunite with the likes of Jessica, Sarah Paulson, Angela Bassett, Kathy Bates, Emma Roberts, Billie Lourd, Gabourey Sidibe and Leslie Grossman.

He added: "First of all, it's working with Ryan again, but second of all, he's assembled the cast from all the different seasons.

"It's sort of an alumni, and we're all getting back together to do this greatest-hits season. So we'll see what he writes and what it brings.

"But just the chance to be able to work with Sarah, Jessica, Kathy, Angela again and everybody involved. I'm interested to see what the scenes are and how it all plays out."

It's believed filming for new season - which is expected to premiere on Halloween (October 31) later this year on FX - is due to get underway early next month.

Ariana Grande is joining the returning cast members, while Jessica has performed quite the U-turn after spending years playing down a comeback.

She hasn't been in a full season since 2015, although she did appear in a small role season eight (Apocalypse).

She had leading roles in the first four seasons, including Murder House (2011), Asylum (2012-13), Coven (2013-14) and Freak Show (2015).

In 2019, she told Entertainment Weekly: "I don't think so. I feel like I got the best of it in those first four seasons. Great characters.

"It was exciting to do. I worked with some of my favourite actors but I can't see that we could ever get back to that."

In 2018's Apocalypse, she reprise her Murder House role as Constance Langdon, but she added to the outlet: "Just that tiny little reprise, that part, that was enough."