September 25, 2026 | Entertainment

Taylor Swift is preparing to unveil the music video for her new song “Patient Zero,” and she is bringing two major Hollywood stars along for the cinematic release: Dakota Johnson and Colin Farrell.

Swift released a 13-second teaser on Thursday, giving fans their first glimpse of the highly anticipated video. The dramatic footage features Swift and Johnson in a series of mysterious scenes, including moments around a swimming pool and a gravesite, while Farrell also appears in the visual.

The full music video is scheduled to premiere during the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday, September 27. Swift is also set to receive the inaugural Artist-Director Award at the ceremony.

Swift directed the video herself, with Oscar-winning cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki behind the camera. The teaser's cinematic visuals include dark and dramatic imagery, adding to the mystery surrounding the story Swift is telling through “Patient Zero.”

The song is being released Friday, September 25, as part of The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore, an expanded edition of Swift's previous album. The new edition includes four additional tracks: “Patient Zero,” “Cleveland!,” “Pink Clouding,” and “Babylon.”

For fans, the short teaser has already sparked plenty of discussion, with viewers examining the video's imagery for possible clues about its storyline. But with the complete visual still under wraps, the premiere at the VMAs is expected to reveal the full picture.

“Patient Zero” arrives September 25, with its official music video premiering September 27 at the MTV VMAs.