Argylle is an upcoming spy film from Kingsman director Matthew Vaughn, starring Bryce Dallas Howard and Henry Cavill. It’s out in February and based mostly on a forthcoming novel by debut creator Elly Conway. And, oh yeah, lots of people suppose that Elly Conway doesn’t exist and is definitely the pen identify of worldwide pop celebrity Taylor Swift.
You could be asking your self: The place did this fan idea come from? Properly, TikToker jessicalynnslocum posted a few movies explaining simply why she, and plenty of others within the Taylor Swift “clowning” group, are completely satisfied that Elly Conway is secretly certainly one of Taylor Swift’s pseudonyms. The idea is simply believable sufficient to take off on TikTok, as this wouldn’t be the primary time Swift collaborated on a challenge underneath a faux identify; she co-wrote the 2016 track “This Is What You Got here For” with then-boyfriend Calvin Harris underneath the pseudonym Nils Sjöberg. The explanations for this Argylle fan idea are quite a few, however a whole lot of them will be boiled all the way down to the truth that nobody is aware of who the hell Elly Conway is.
Making an entire film or TV present based mostly on a e-book that hasn’t come out but isn’t widespread, nevertheless it isn’t exceptional. This season of American Horror Story, as an illustration, relies on a e-book that wasn’t out when the season was introduced. What is a bit more unusual is having a fictional model of the creator seem within the film, particularly given how little info there may be in regards to the creator. But it surely may be a Lemony Snicket form of state of affairs, the place the “creator” of the e-book is a personality themselves, and the e-book is definitely written by another person (or a workforce of somebody elses — ghostwriters are widespread within the publishing business!).
And a whole lot of Taylor Swift followers are satisfied that the another person behind Elly Conway is Taylor Swift herself. In any case, the singer is understood for her Easter eggs, and followers latch onto the smallest particulars in hopes they may discover all of the clues and predict the star’s newest massive announcement. This time round is not any totally different, although let’s simply say a few of the theories are extra compelling than others. (Polygon has additionally reached out to Penguin Random Home for remark and can replace this story after we hear again.)
The entire ‘proof’ that Taylor Swift wrote Argylle, rated
Picture: Emma McIntyre/TAS23/Getty Photographs
The fictional model of Elly Conway as seen within the Argylle trailer has purple hair: Now, Swift is blond, however the model of her within the “All Too Properly” quick movie — who can be an creator — has purple hair. I may perhaps see this connection, particularly since Swift directed the “All Too Properly” movie and is ready to direct a function for Searchlight Footage. 6/10
Within the film, Elly Conway carries her cat round in a backpack much like Taylor Swift’s: It is a quirky backpack and positively idiosyncratic, although it’s not fully distinctive to Swift (as an illustration, I personal an analogous one, although I’ve by no means truly trekked in public with it). Nonetheless, it’s a very particular Swiftisim. 6/10
The cat is a Scottish Fold: Swift is an avid cat-lover and she or he owns three cats, two of that are Scottish Folds. It could possibly be that the selection of breed is intentional… or it could possibly be that director Vaughn and his spouse Claudia Schiffer additionally personal a Scottish Fold named Chip and that made it essentially the most obtainable breed. 4/10
Picture: Common Footage
Swift has worn quite a few argyle sweaters — and offered one as a bit of merch: It isn’t precisely fairly the identical argyle sample, however contemplating her fondness for the sample, it appears possible that if she did write a e-book, it could incorporate the textile by some means! 7/10
Elly Conway is the identify of an Australian cleaning soap opera character who debuted on Dec. 13 (Swift’s birthday): OK, this one is a bit more compelling. When you search Elly Conway, the one actual outcome you get is a personality performed by Jodi Gordon on Neighbours, a long-running Australian cleaning soap opera. She made her first look on Dec. 13, 2001. Neither Gordon nor the cleaning soap opera, nonetheless, appear to have any reference to Swift. However the date is critical sufficient to get a 7/10.
The film comes out 2/2/24: I’m admittedly not well-versed in Taylor Swift’s love for dates like these. However, lots of the movies appear to essentially harp on today — and it’s 5 days earlier than Swift heads to Japan for the subsequent leg of her tour. I’ll give it a 5/10, largely as a result of I’m not sufficient of an skilled.
Elly Conway’s Instagram account is verified: It isn’t as arduous to get verified on social media as most individuals suppose, and if you’re the creator (or in-universe character) of a soon-to-be-popular e-book turned film, then it’s possible your writer or manufacturing firm may again you as much as get verified. Truthfully, it could be weirder if Elly Conway’s Instagram account wasn’t verified. This particularly applies if Conway is a fictional character and a gimmick for the film. Heck, Elmo has a verified account. 0/10
Her profile image is a espresso cup: Allegedly, that is much like the espresso cup seen in Midnights, with the spoon even pointing towards the midnight course of a clock (kinda). But additionally, writers actually like heat drinks! The author in a espresso store is a cliche at this level! 5/10
Picture: Common Footage and Picture: Taylor Swift Productions
Elly Conway follows an NYC cafe close to Cornelia Road: Perhaps that is Swift following her favourite cafe close to her former Greenwich Village house. Perhaps Elly Conway is likely one of the 8.468 million residents of New York Metropolis. Regardless of the case, I couldn’t actually discover any proof of Swift having any explicit affinity for this cafe (even on this checklist of her favourite NYC eating places). 3/10
Conway’s first put up was on Swift’s birthday in 2022: That is maybe essentially the most compelling piece of proof, as a result of the e-book and film have been introduced a full 12 months and a half prior (in June 2021). No different information surrounding the film or e-book was launched on Dec. 13, 2022. 9/10
Elly Conway’s transient bio apparently states she lives in upstate New York: Conway’s official bio on varied websites says that she was born and raised in upstate New York, which is closely featured in “All Too Properly” (and within the quick movie, Sadie Sink dons an argyle sweater within the upstate New York scenes). It must be famous that the one websites I may personally discover that particularly point out “upstate New York” and never the extra obscure “someplace in america” have been non-U.S.-based websites, similar to Penguin U.Okay. and the German Amazon web page. The plot thickens… however is it sufficient? 4/10
Dua Lipa shared a put up of Swift sporting a Versace necklace from her personal assortment: Dua Lipa is within the film, so apparently any interplay with Swift is fodder for followers. But additionally, celebrities work together with one another on a regular basis on social media. 3/10
Picture: Jeff Kravitz/TAS23/Getty Photographs for TAS Rights Administration
The Argylle emblem seems to be like Taylor Swift’s earrings: Personally, apart from the obscure artwork deco of it, I don’t actually see this one? 2/10
Swift’s Conway sweatshirt: Taylor Swift was noticed sporting a Conway Studios sweatshirt! Conway Recording Studios is a recording studio in LA, the place Swift recorded 1989 and Crimson (Taylor’s Model), so it may simply be coincidence. Or did she base the identify of her pseudonym on her recording studio? 5/10
Chip the cat (the cat within the film) made an Instagram put up a couple of massive announcement the day earlier than the announcement of the Eras Tour film: …and it was additionally the day earlier than the primary trailer for Argylle dropped. Contemplating the cat is owned by the director of the film, Matthew Vaughn (and his partner, Claudia Schiffer), that just about explains away the coincidence. -1/10
Chip the cat posted an image of Claudia Schiffer as a cheerleader with a Taylor Swift caption: At this level, the cat (or somewhat Schiffer and Vaughn, who possible run his account) learn about the entire conspiracy and will very properly be enjoying alongside. So tagging Taylor Swift and posting photos of her cats is an efficient technique to preserve the hype going. Until, in fact, it’s not simply that… 3/10