FX’s ‘American Horror Story’ to film in L.A.

Here’s one horror story Los Angeles won’t dread.

The FX television series “American Horror Story” is moving its production back to Los Angeles from Louisiana, a welcome boost to a city that has seen a sharp falloff in the number of TV dramas filming locally.

Ryan Murphy’s hit horror anthology series is expected to begin filming its fifth season, “Hotel,” in early July, according to FilmL.A. Inc., the nonprofit group that handles film permits for the city and the county.

“American Horror Story” filmed the first two seasons of its series in L.A. but moved to Louisiana after it was unsuccessful in securing a film tax credit through the state’s controversial film lottery program.

A spokesperson for FX would not comment on why the series is moving back to L.A.

But a person close to “American Horror Story” said creative, not economic factors, drove the decision to move the series to Louisiana and back to L.A.

“Coven” was set in New Orleans while “Freak Show” was set in Florida but also filmed in Louisiana, where it was easier to replicate the Florida locations than in Southern California. “Hotel” also has a story connection to L.A.

The relocation also could be timed to benefit from California’s newly-expanded film tax credit program, which eliminates the lottery system.

To keep more shows in Southern California, the state legislature last year agreed to triple annual funding and allow more projects to qualify for incentives.

The program also establishes a separate pool of incentive money -- $27.6 million -- that is available for returning series like “American Horror Story,” which is expected to be among the applicants.

The new program kicks off next week when the California Film Commission will accept applications for non-independent TV productions.

“Hotel,” which stars Kathy Bates, Angela Bassett and Sarah Paulson, will air on FX in October. The franchise is produced by Twentieth Century Fox Television.

FX also produces the new drama “American Crime Story” in L.A.

Twitter: @rverrier