Fans think Taylor Swift has already told us the plot of ‘Patient Zero’ music video | indy100

YouTube/The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Did Taylor Swift already tell us the plot to her upcoming music video for new single 'Patient Zero'? That's what some fans think at least...

The singer's interview on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert from December 2025 is making the rounds online once more. In it, there's a particular part where Swift goes on a lively explanation about what kind of story would interest her, which would be one that has the "elements" of the novel Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier.

"If you've got like an old cat, like rambling shambles old, British mansion covered in moss or ivy and there's like a mysterious relationship and he may not be what he seems and there is like a murder that has happened in the past but you hear whispers of it," Swift says.

"There's the idea of a ghost or an actual ghost if you present me with a plot line where there's like a family compound on an island off the coast of Maine and there's secrets in this family - what's going on with him? This brother, why don't we know where he's been for 10 years? Why did he just show up? You know?"

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She continued, "If there's a marriage and the marriage isn't what it seems and it seems like this dude is clearly like 'Why are you with him, he's horrible with you - plot twist - unreliable narrator, she's a psycho."

To which the audience erupts in applause, and Colbert replies, "That sounds like a great book."

Then Swift told him, "If you've got any of that, I'm going to need to read that and when I say read that, I mean I need somebody to read that to me."

Now when you think about this and compared it with the 13-second first look at the music video starring Swift alongside actors Colin Farrell and Dakota Johnson, it does kind of make sense.

In the clip we see Swift putting her hand on Johnson's back as they look at the grave in front of them. The final shot being Farrell and Johnson all in one shot, Johnson sat on a chair staring at Farrell who puts his coat on another chair while Swift walks forward. All of them are wearing black, while Johnson and Farrell are looking at each other, Swift is looking forward leading to the theory Swift is a ghost as described in her ideal book.

TikToker @eurosweetheart highlight this theory and, "Swifties knew this [interview] was an Easter egg for something."

One fan on X/Twitter said "And what if Taylor easter egged the Patient Zero music video when she was on Stephen Colbert talking about books?!!!???"

"Do yall remember when Taylor was talking about her ideal book! on the late show! with Stephen Colbert! last december! i wonder if she was already writing patient zero and this mv…" a second person wrote.

We'll soon find out as the 'Patient Zero' music video is set to premiere at the MTV Video Music Awards this Sunday (September 27).

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