Gia Coppola to Direct Boy Band Documentary ‘Superfans’ for XTR and Exec Producer Jason Bateman

The “Palo Alto” director’s doc is based on the book “superfans: screaming. crying. throwing up.” by journalist Maria Sherman

Gia Coppola boy band documentary superfans
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Gia Coppola, the director of the indie darlings “Palo Alto” (2013) and “Mainstream” (2020), will direct a documentary film about the most extreme, diehard fans of boy bands like BTS, New Kids on the Block, One Direction, NSYNC and Backstreet Boys.

Coppola will direct “superfans: screaming. crying. throwing up.” for non-fiction studio XTR and producers Jason Bateman and Michael Costigan for their Aggregate Films, in association with Coppola’s banner Detour.

The film “superfans,” which is Coppola’s first documentary, is currently in production and is based on a book called “Larger Than Life: A History of Boy Bands from NKOTB to BTS” by journalist and life-long fangirl Maria Sherman.

The film explores the obsession and devotion of fans who turn boy bands into multi-billion dollar franchises that dominate both the airwaves and pop culture phenomena. It also dives further into the fangirl experiences, movements and markets of the ’80s, ’90s and 2000s, and recognizes the importance and power of the superfan. 

More specifically, it will also get inside how the 1D fan base or the BTS Army have collectively gathered to support the LGBTQIA+ or Black Lives Matter movements and made an actual impact on the culture thanks to their passion.

“I’m a proud pop fangirl, so the opportunity to translate Maria’s contemporary, sharp, fun book into documentary form, a format I’ve been craving to dabble in, is beyond exciting,” Coppola said. “I’m thrilled for the collaboration between the experienced creative partners at Aggregate and XTR.” 

“When I started ‘Larger Than Life’ half a decade ago, my ambition was to write something that did justice to boy band fans, to celebrate their enthusiasm, undeniable influence, and life-affirming joy. Telling that story on screen seemed like a total fantasy,” Sherman said. “superfans: screaming. crying. throwing up.’ could not be more appropriately titled; working with XTR, Aggregate, and the brilliant Gia Coppola is a dopamine hit that rivals shouting along to a pop song’s bridge. I mean, in the immortal words of One Direction, what a feeling!”

“superfans: screaming. crying. throwing up.” is executive produced by Kathryn Everett, Kathleen Flood and Justin Lacob from XTR, and Jason Bateman, Michael Costigan and Emma Ho from Aggregate Films. Sherman will also executive produce.

XTR recently debuted “They Call Me Magic” for Apple TV+ and has “Menudo: Forever Young,” which is a documentary about a Latin American boy band, for HBO Max debuting at the Tribeca Film Festival.

Deadline first reported the news.

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