Eminem couldn't have conceived the life "Stan" would take on — becoming a common term for an immensely obsessive, at times delusional fanatic of something — following the song's release in 2000, but the artist will now explore that legacy in a new film.
Variety reports that the artist will co-produce a documentary on the fandom phenomenon via his Shady Films. Currently under the working title Stans, the Steven Leckart-directed film is currently slated for release "later this year."
It appears that the film will be centred on Eminem himself. A synopsis [via Variety] touts Stans as 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."
"Stans will be the opportunity for us to turn the camera around and ask the audience about being fans — and in some cases, fanatics," Shady Films' Paul Rosenberg and Stuart Parr share in a statement. "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."
One of his most enduring songs, "Stan" was performed by Eminem at his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 2022, accompanied by Ed Sheeran singing the song's prominent sample of Dido's "Thank You."
"Stan" producer Mark James, known best as the 45 King, passed away last October.