Met Gala 2026: Beyoncé’s 2003 Fashion Reference Sparks Act III Theory

Because of the 2003 nod, fans speculated that the Dream Girls performer’s next highly anticipated album might be a return to her R&B era. Other fans are connecting even more dots, with one user musing, “Maybe this means [Act III] is her last ever album since she paid homage to her debut album.”  

And those are far from the only wild theories circulating the Beyhive. Beyoncé lovers have long suspected Act III would be the singer’s first rock album, following the genre jumping of Act I: Renaissance (disco) and Act II: Cowboy Carter (country). 

For some fans, Beyoncé’s Met return solidified that theory. As one X user pointed out, “You know in rock n roll [sic] culture especially heavy metal and punk, they use skeletons to resembles [sic] death, law, raw power of music and darkness.”

Queen Bey has previously dabbled in rock, for the record, with her 2016 song “Don’t Hurt Yourself”—performed with Jack White of The White Stripes—from her sixth studio album, Lemonade.

Whatever the 44-year-old singer’s next musical project will bring, fans will have to wait to find out. Beyoncé’s publicist, Yvette Noel-Schure, recently chimed in on X to respond to rumors that Act III is “100% complete.” Yvette, who has represented Beyoncé for several decades, countered on April 27, “This is unequivocally false!!”

While Beyoncé is keeping fans on her toes with her music, she did reveal why this Met was so special to her. “It feels surreal, because my daughter is here,” Beyoncé gushed about Blue Ivy to Vogue, “I am excited to experience it through her eyes.”

Aside from Beyoncé’s stunning style, you’ll be crazy in love with more of these 2026 Met Gala outfits…