NEED TO KNOW
Eminem is ready to answer your questions.
In the first moments of the trailer for the upcoming documentary, aptly titled STANS, the definition of stan, which was added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary in 2019, appears onscreen: “an overzealous or obsessive fan, esp. of a particular celebrity.”
His 2000 song and music video about a fan who takes things too far catapulted the term into the lexicon. The upcoming documentary focuses on these superfans. Eminem, 51, receives questions throughout the remainder of the trailer, peppered with archival footage and performance videos.
Some of the questions posed in the voiceover were focused on the 2000 song. “Why did you write the song ‘Stan?’ Is Stan based on a real fan?” they asked.
Kevin C. Cox/Getty
The PEOPLE App is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more!
Some wonder how much fan mail the 15-time Grammy winner receives. Some want to know how his daughter, Hailie Jade, is.
Others dig deeper. “What the hell goes on in your brain?” and “How does it feel to be followed by so many people?” The crux of these could be summed up with the simple inquiry of what it’s like being famous.
Enimen appears at the end of the clip, asking the camera: “What’s your first question?”
The documentary, directed by Steven Leckart, focuses on the “complicated relationship between one of the world’s most private artists and his massive public persona,” a synopsis reads.
“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.”
A “highly curated cast of real-life stans” with “deep personal connections to Eminem” that reflect themes throughout his lyrics are featured in the movie.
“This one’s for the Stans, by the Stans! See the real stories behind the fandom – #StansMovie in theatres worldwide August 7th for one weekend only,” Eminem wrote on Instagram, accompanying the trailer.
In April 2024, he asked his biggest fans to participate in the project by filling out a questionnaire about their commitment to his fanbase. The survey apparently has now come full circle.
Mike Marsland/WireImage
The documentary made its world premiere in London at the first-ever London edition of the SXSW festival. Stans, with the white tank top, necklace and bleached hair, flooded the red carpet, paying homage to the 2000 music video.
STANS will be in AMC Theatres from Thursday, Aug. 7 to Sunday, Aug. 10. The documentary will be available to stream internationally on Paramout+ later this year.
