"Dear Slim…": Eminem’s "STANS" documentary, inspired by his iconic 2000 hit, set to debut at SXSW London

Two and a half decades after Eminem dropped Stan, a track that forever changed fan culture, the rap icon’s impact is being revisited in a new light.

STANS, a documentary produced by Shady Films and distributed by MTV Entertainment Studios, is set to premiere at the inaugural SXSW London Screen Festival on June 2. Directed by Steven Leckart, the film dives deep into the world of superfans: the ride-or-die supporters, the online warriors, and the borderline obsessed.

The doc features some of Eminem’s closest collaborators and the very people who helped make “stan culture” into a global buzzword, promising an unfiltered perspective on the phenomenon that he unintentionally trademarked.

Anna Bogutskaya, head of screen at SXSW London, said in an official statement:

“Putting together the first-ever programme of the SXSW London Screen Festival has been a dream. We are excited to present bold new work from across the world, celebrating boundary-pushing films across documentary, animation and narrative filmmaking.”

She added:

“Our program is designed to ignite conversations, inspire new connections and showcase and celebrate screen storytelling across film, TV and immersive.”

In 2000, Stan was released as the third single off The Marshall Mathers LP, sampling Dido’s stirring Thank You. It only peaked at No. 51 on the Billboard Hot 100, but its cultural footprint is massive.

The 45 King-produced track now boasts nearly 1.3 billion Spotify streams and birthed a whole new word, “stan,” even earning a spot in the Merriam-Webster dictionary.

Eminem himself co-signed the project, encouraging his fans last year to share their stories and take part in the documentary. While STANS will debut at SXSW London, it’s slated to hit Paramount+ in the United States later in 2025.

The SXSW London fest, which runs from June 2 to June 7 in Shoreditch, marks the global expansion of the Austin-born cultural juggernaut. Other high-profile screenings on the lineup include Stephen King’s The Life of Chuck, which will close the festival, and fellow King adaptation The Institute.

Also making their debut are Tom Kingsley’s action-comedy Deep Cover and Love & Rage: Munroe Bergdorf, among others.

From cautionary tale to cultural cornerstone, Stan has come a long way. And with STANS, Eminem is giving fans (and stans) the mic.

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Eminem is officially a granddad: Rap icon’s daughter welcomes baby son

Eminem’s documentary premiere was confirmed just weeks after his daughter, Hailie Jade Scott, welcomed her first child.

On April 4, Scott gave birth to a baby boy with her husband, Evan McClintock, and shared the joyful news on Instagram. She posted a photo of their newborn, Elliott, dressed in a light blue hooded sweater. Above him hung a sign that read:

“Elliot Marshall McClintock 03.14.25.”

Scott named her son after her father, whose real name is Marshall Mathers. In her caption, she wrote with a white heart emoji:

“happy due date//3 weeks earthside little e”

Eminem, famously private about his personal life, expressed his joy over Scott’s pregnancy in the October 2024 music video for Temporary. The five-minute visual features a touching montage of Scott’s life, from childhood to her wedding day.

The final scene reveals her surprising the rapper with a sonogram and a shirt that reads “GRANDPA” on the back.