Look What You Made Me Do, Supa-Fans. It’s been a while, and to be honest, we probably tossed our old Supanova Scuttlebutt-o-meter©®™ (Patent Pending) out with our last spring clean, but a new rumour has come to our attention just begging to be given the good old Fact or Fiction? treatment.
That’s right, we’re talking about the buzz that Tay Tay herself is not only set to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but she’ll potentially be headlining her very own Disney+ show!
So, after digging through the trash and recovering what little we could of the original Supanova Scuttlebutt-o-meter©®™ (Patent Pending), we decided to Shake it Off and add some sparkly new features (including a fancy cup holder). Now armed with the Supanova Scuttlebutt-o-meter Version 2.0©®™ (Patent Pending), we’re going all Swiftie and seeing whether the world’s biggest pop star is really going to show up in the MCU, or whether we’ll just be left to Do It With a Broken Heart.
So, what’s the goss?
The internet is practically beside itself with whispers that Taylor Swift is set to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with the world’s biggest popstar being floated as potentially landing one of several key Marvel roles. More recent gossip has also suggested that Marvel boss Kevin Feige has even gone so far as to offer her a solo Disney+ show.
Where did all this come from?
Even before Deadpool’s third cinematic outing was officially announced, rumours had been circulating for some time that Swift was being considered to play Marvel’s own mutant songstress Dazzler. Originally conceived as a cross-promotional character between the disco label Casablanca Records and Marvel Comics in the late ‘70s, plans were once afoot to have Dazzler appear in her own TV special played by Bo Derek and featuring performances from Cher, Kiss, and the Village People.
Sadly, those plans would fall apart, and fans would need to wait until 2019’s Dark Phoenix to see her first live-action cameo, played by Halston Sage. However, following Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox, plans for an X-Men reboot were a hot topic of discussion in fan circles, and Swift’s name was frequently mentioned in connection with Dazzler.
Fast forward to 2022, when the as-yet-untitled Deadpool and Wolverine was first announced, those same rumours found fresh life with the suggestion that movie would be the ideal vehicle to introduce Swift in the role. The gossip would be further bolstered by the pop star’s close friendship with Ryan Reynolds’ better half, Blake Lively, and Reynolds’ own previous cameo in one of her 2019 music videos.
Things nearly hit overdrive more recently when Marvel also released an official IMAX poster with the titular characters wearing the same kind of friendship bracelets now synonymous with Swift’s ongoing Eras Tour.
Sadly, however, rumours that Miss Americana herself would be popping up in Deadpool and Wolverine were finally put to rest by Entertainment Weekly, who officially revealed that Tay Tay will NOT be appearing in that particular movie.
Now while some might think this would put the whole Swiftie saga to rest, a different set of rumours have also suggested that she will be getting her own MCU show instead. This gossip links her to an older Golden Age Marvel character, the Blonde Phantom (aka Louise Grant Mason), who will headline her own Disney+ series set in the 1960s (the same decade rumours are also placing the Fantastic Four reboot in).
Given that in the comics a since retired Mason eventually goes on to become a legal secretary who works frequently with She-Hulk’s Jennifer Walters, the possibility for a crossover with Tatiana Maslany’s character could also be on the horizon if true.
What’s the verdict?
Before all you Tay Tay fans get too excited, You Need To Calm Down and realise there is no official confirmation that Swift will be going anywhere near the Marvel Cinematic Universe, let alone getting her own show. That being said, Marvel is well known for keeping big reveals a secret right up until their official release, and the franchise has already introduced some surprising names, including Swift’s former paramour Harry Styles in The Eternals.
As for the Blonde Phantom, it is possible that Marvel may indeed be keen on bringing the character to life. Although other rumours have also suggested that Madame Web’s Sydney Sweeney is also being considered for the role.
With all of this in mind, we provided the Supanova Scuttlebutt-o-meter Version 2.0©®™ (Patent Pending) with all the relevant data, and after a nifty little dance number and a more sombre acoustic set, it spat out a surprising 57.38% likelihood rating.
Drawing our attention to Disney’s clear interest in being in the Tay Tay business, with the streamer already paying the big bucks for rights to her Eras Tour concert movie, it does not at all seem unlikely they would be looking to find new ways to work with her. Whether or not that actually involves a recurring MCU role or her own show remains to be seen, but a cameo appearance at some point would certainly be in the realm of possibility. As such it’s probably best to call this rumour: possible, but not a definite certainty.