A Taylor Swift album is set to return to the top spot in the UK charts after an influx of signed CDs were released to celebrate its one-year anniversary.
The Tortured Poets Department broke records during its original release the biggest opening week for an album in the UK in seven years.
The record surpassed Adele’s hotly-anticipated album 30 and achieved the largest record sales since superstar Ed Sheeran’s 2017 LP ÷.
It is predicted the pop star’s most recent album will now make spectacular return to the Official Albums Chart summit this week; eyeing a 23-place jump back to the top.
The superstar’s eleventh studio LP, which has already clocked 10 non-consecutive weeks at Number 1 in the UK since its release last April, sees a surge thanks to the release of a signed CD edition celebrating the record’s one-year anniversary.
This week’s highest new entry could come courtesy of Nigerian-American singer, songwriter and record producer Davido.
A Taylor Swift album is set to return to the top spot in the UK charts after an influx of signed CDs were released to celebrate its one-year anniversary
The Tortured Poets Department broke records during its original release the biggest opening week for an album in the UK in seven years
The Atlanta-born star looks set to eye a career-best with his fifth studio album 5ive, which could enter the charts in position four.
Davido previously appeared in the UK album charts with A Better Time in 2020 at 88 and Timeless in 2023 at position 10.
English rock outfit Hawkwind expect to see their 37th studio record There Is No Space For Us make its debut this week at 14.
Should it hold on, it’ll become the group’s highest-charting LP in 50 years; since 1975’s Warrior On The Edge Of Time reached 13.
Across a career spanning five decades, Hawkwind have claimed a total of 16 Official Top 40 albums to date.
Doechii’s debut Alligator Bites Never Heal looks to make its UK Top 40 debut at Number 21 this week. Previously, the album peaked at Number 65 here.
While Taylor is once again looking destined for chart success, she has also been linked to a new film project.
From the moment it was announced that 1992 blockbuster The Bodyguard was being remade there has only been one name in the frame to play the lead actress, Taylor.
It is predicted the pop star’s most recent album will now make spectacular return to the Official Albums Chart summit this week; eyeing a 23-place jump back to the top
However last week it was revealed that producers have secretly been speaking to another – very different – global superstar for month, Kim Kardashian.
In what might come as something of a shock to Swifties everywhere, The Mail on Sunday learned the script has been ‘specifically tailored’ to Kim, who is anxious to make her big-screen debut as a leading lady.
A source said: ‘Everyone immediately assumed Taylor would get the lead, the role played by Whitney Houston in the original film, because The Bodyguard remake is being directed by Sam Wrench who directed the 2023 film about Taylor’s Eras Tour. But Warner Bros, the studio remaking the original, are very keen on Kim.
‘There have already been multiple meetings and the script has been written with Kim in mind.’
The original movie starred Whitney as singer Rachel Marron who is stalked by a deranged fan and co-starred Kevin Costner as her devoted bodyguard Frank Farmer.
The movie was nominated for two Oscars and the soundtrack became the top-selling of all time with hits including I Will Always Love You, I Have Nothing and Run To You.
The film took over $400 million at the box office with the soundtrack selling more than 50 million copies worldwide, winning the Grammy for Album of the Year.
The source said: ‘Everyone is assuming the remake will be a musical but there has been talk of making a sequel for years and most of the talk has been about taking it in a different direction, using a global celebrity but not necessarily having it as a musical, more a straightforward drama.
The original movie starred Whitney as singer Rachel Marron who is stalked by a deranged fan and co-starred Kevin Costner as her devoted bodyguard Frank Farmer
The Mail on Sunday has learned the Bodyguard remake script has been ‘specifically tailored’ to Ms Kardashian, who is anxious to make her big-screen debut as a leading lady
The remake will be directed by Sam Wrench, 34, who previously directed Swift’s 2023 concert film, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (Pictured: Swift and Wrench seen at the LA premiere in 2023)
‘Let’s face it, how can you top Whitney?’
Previous discussions of a remake involved Kevin Costner and the late Princess Diana.
Kevin, who may make a cameo appearance in the new film, revealed it was Sarah, Duchess of York, who put him in touch with Diana in the 1990s. The script starring the princess was handed in to the studio one day before she died in 1997.
Kim has long been known to want to break into ‘serious’ acting. The reality star has appeared in films like Disaster Movie and Ocean’s Eight as well as the TV show American Horror Story and her hit reality show Keeping Up With the Kardashians.
A source said: ‘Kim is one of the most recognisable women on the planet. She believes she has what it takes to be a major movie star. She’d be perfect for The Bodyguard and she knows it. Everyone is very excited.’
Taylor is believed to be working on a new album for release next year and is also reportedly anxious to settle down and start a family with her American football player boyfriend Travis Kelce.
Kim is launching a string of stand-alone stores to sell her Skims underwear but her schedule is reportedly more flexible than Taylor’s
The Warner Bros source said: ‘Kim was always the person attached to this project, Taylor’s name wasn’t mentioned until the news came out that the remake is in the works and then it was mostly Swifties saying she’d be perfect for the part. Of course no one would ever count out Taylor if she was interested in the role. Let the battle of the divas commence!’
