The fan Eminem writes about in the first verse of his classic single “Stan” — the one who sent him two letters with his cell, pager, and home phone number at the bottom — missed his chance to shine in the feature documentary Stans. In select theaters for one weekend only beginning Aug. 7, the Steven Leckart-directed film tells the story of the rapper’s career and music through the lens of some of his most passionate fans.
In the second verse of the song, Stan slowly spirals into insanity, writes again: “Dear Slim, you still ain’t called or wrote, I hope you have a chance/I ain’t mad, I just think it’s fucked up you don’t answer fans.” In the first teaser trailer for Stans, Eminem proves him wrong. “What’s your first question?” the rapper asks in the clip.
The trailer opens with the proper definition of “Stan,” which was added to the Oxford English Dictionary and Merriam-Webster in 2019. The noun is used to describe “an overzealous or obsessive fan, esp. of a particular celebrity.” To their credit, the fans featured in the clip at least sound like they might be pretty normal people. None are pictured, but their voices appear over footage of the rapper, who co-produced the film and distributed a survey last year to track down his biggest fans.
The flurry of voices wants to know about the music, asking, “Why did you write the song, Stan? Is Stan based on a real fan?” and “Why do you share so much about yourself in your music?” Others want to know “What the hell goes on in your brain?” and “How does it feel to be followed by so many people?” Some other questions that are thrown at him include “How much fan mail do you get?” and “How’s your daughter?” They want to know “what it’s like being famous,” and if Eminem read their letter. He’s ready to answer.
“In the song, the titular character handwrites a series of emotional letters to Eminem, repeating the line: I’m just like you. 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,” a synopsis of the documentary reads. “More than just an exploration of fandom, the film examines the complicated relationship between one of the world’s most private artists and his massive public persona. 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.”
Stans will arrive with an original soundtrack containing previously unreleased music. The film will run exclusively at AMC Theatres between Aug. 7 and Aug. 10. Trafalgar Releasing will distribute the film internationally on the same date. The film premiered at SXSW London in June.
