A new trailer for Eminem’s upcoming documentary film has been shared, with the rapper set to meet with his real-life ‘Stans’. Check it out below.
- READ MORE: Eminem – ‘The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce)’ review: well-crafted songs and empty provocation
News of the upcoming project was first shared back in February, when it was confirmed that the iconic rapper would be co-producing a documentary called Stans, which was based on some of his most devoted fans.
The title references the term he coined with his 2000 song of the same name. In the song, which featured Dido, Eminem raps from the point of view of a delusional fan who thinks he shares a parasocial relationship with the rapper.
Now, the first trailer has dropped for the film, and it is set to be shown in select theatres for one weekend only, beginning on August 7.
In the clip, the trailer opens with the official definition of “Stan”, which was added to the Oxford English Dictionary and Merriam-Webster in 2019, and is a noun used to describe “an overzealous or obsessive fan, esp. of a particular celebrity”.
From there, it shows archive footage of the rapper over the years, performing to massive crowds, and over the top of the footage, fans can be heard posing their questions to the artist.
It’s worth noting that none of them sound as particularly intense as the titular character in the 2000 song, and their questions include “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?”
Elsewhere, others asked the rapper – real name Marshall Mathers – how it feels to be “followed by so many people”, how much fan mail he receives, if he enjoys fame, and how his daughter Hailie is.
At the end of the video, the rapper is seen sitting down and looking directly at the camera, asking, “What’s your first question?”
A synopsis of the documentary reads (via Rolling Stone): “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 authorised 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: “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 stylised 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 be showing exclusively at AMC Theatres between August 7 and 10, and Trafalgar Releasing will distribute the film internationally then too. It will also come with an original soundtrack that contains previously-unreleased music.
The film, which is co-produced by Eminem, had its premiere at SXSW London last month, and those who took part in the project were fans who responded to a survey distributed by his team last year.
In other Eminem news, the rapper’s team are suing Meta for the alleged unauthorised distribution of his music and seeking statutory damages of up to $150,000 (£110,837) per track. As a result, potential damages could reach more than $1million (£739,000) in total.
His last album, ‘The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce)’ was given a three-star review from NME upon its release last summer, which read: “Much more powerful is ‘Temporary’, a genuinely moving ode to his daughter, Hailie, which proves Marshall Mathers can say something that matters when he wants to.
“So, who killed Slim Shady? In bringing him back to the light and showing him up as irrelevant, perhaps Eminem’s done his old pal in for good. OK, we get it – Shady was a shocking character. Now that he’s dead, how about getting some new material?”
English (US) · 