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Eminem at Michigan Central Station Opening Celebration
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Key Takeaways:
- The documentary examines Eminem’s relationship with fame through the lens of his most devoted fans.
- It features rare footage, stylized recreations, and a new interview with Eminem.
- “Stan,” now mainstream slang, originated from Eminem’s 2000 track and is central to the film’s theme.
Eminem’s “Stan” left such a mark on pop culture that the term earned a spot in the dictionary, and all these years later, people still use it to describe obsessive fans. Now, it’s the inspiration behind an upcoming documentary.
Announced Tuesday (July 15), the Steven Leckart-directed STANS will explore the “complicated relationship between one of the world’s most private artists and his massive public persona.” The film is slated to premiere globally for a limited time starting on Aug. 7, with U.S. presale tickets going live today.
The official trailer opened with the dictionary definition of a stan: “An overzealous or obsessive fan, esp. of a particular celebrity.” Moments later, Eminem is confronted with questions like, “Why did you write the song ‘Stan’? Is ‘Stan’ based on a real fan?” Another voice asked, “Why do you share so much about yourself in your music?”
As archival footage is played in the background, other questions follow about fan mail, his daughter Hailie Jade, and what fame feels like. Toward the end, we finally see Eminem seated in front of the camera: “What’s your first question?” Take a look below.
“In the song, the titular character handwrites a series of emotional letters to Eminem, repeating the line: I’m just like you,” the film’s official synopsis reads. “That refrain serves as a guiding light for this unconventional and fully authorized feature, which follows a highly curated cast of real-life stans whose deep personal connections to Eminem mirror some of the themes found throughout his lyrics.
It continues, “Through stylized recreations, rare archival footage, intimate interviews, and an exclusive original interview with Eminem himself, it offers a raw, loud, and revealing journey across his career — and the passionate audience that has grown with him.”
“Stan” first appeared on Eminem’s 2000 album, The Marshall Mathers LP. Although the song isn’t based on a true story, Eminem revealed it was heavily inspired by the “crazy letters” he’s gotten from fans over the years. “It’s kind of like a message to the fans to let ‘em know everything that I say is not meant to be taken literally,” he explained.
