Eminem, whose 2000 song “Stan” coined the term for fanatical and sometimes delusional superfans, is co-producing a documentary on the phenomenon via his Shady Films, in association with DIGA Studios and Hill District Media, with initial distribution from Paramount/MTV.
The film, directed by Steven Leckart (“Challenger: The Final Flight,” writer of “What’s My Name: Muhammad Ali” and writer and executive producer of the Hulu series “Legacy: True Story of the L.A. Lakers”), is slated for release later this year.
According to the synopsis, the film — with the working title “Stans” — is a “revealing, edgy, and disarmingly personal journey into the world of superfandom, told through the lens of one of the world’s most iconic and enduring artists, Eminem, and the fans that worship him.”
Shady Films’ Paul Rosenberg (Eminem’s longtime manager) and Stuart Parr say, “’Stans’ will be the opportunity for us to to turn the camera around and ask the audience about being fans — and in some cases, fanatics. This is a study of the relationship between fanbase and artist through the lens of one of Eminem’s most fascinating songs and one of the world’s most important entertainers.”
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Tony DiSanto, DIGA CEO and a former top MTV executive, says, “Paul Rosenberg and I have known each other since my days on MTV’s ‘TRL,’ a show that was driven by the power of fandom, bringing artists and their fans together. So when he told me about the idea for this film, it felt like we had come full circle. ‘Stans’ will explore the complex relationship between fame and super fandom, told through the lens of one of the world’s most Iconic artists, Eminem, his music, and, especially, his most extreme fans.”
Variety will have more news on the film as it develops.
