Eminem has been revisiting his past lately. I’m personally still not over the nostalgic reunion of Dr. Dre, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, and 50 Cent for last year’s Emmy-winning Super Bowl halftime performance.
In recent months, Eminem candidly reflected on his past drug addiction with XXL and his 2007 overdose with Paul Rosenberg. His Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction speech included mention of his nearly fatal 2007 overdose — joking for his daughter, Hailie, to “plug your ears because drugs were f*cking delicious.” He also took the time during that speech to thank, one-by-one, over 100 of his formative rap influences.
And though Eminem paid subtle homage to 8 Mile with a limited-edition comic book cover in November, his 2002 cult classic film is staying firmly in the past.
“Sometimes it’s just best to leave it at one,” Mekhi Phifer said when asked by TMZ why there hasn’t been an 8 Mile sequel. “Sometimes it’s just best to leave it alone. Once you make a classic, no reason to fool around with it.”
Phifer added there has not been any conversation about a potential sequel. Will it ever happen? “Probably not,” he said. And does Phifer think that’s a mistake? “No. Like I said, leave the classics alone, and it’ll be all good. Let’s just live with the 8 Mile.”
Phifer was pressed on whether it could be “more interesting” to see what would happen after the events that transpired in the original, but he held firm: “Yeah, but you know, the story that we told is the story. It could be interesting, but I wouldn’t be in it, and I’m sure Eminem wouldn’t be in it, either.”
8 Mile was loosely based on Eminem’s Detroit upbringing. Em played Jimmy “B-Rabbit” Smith, a blue-collar worker with rap aspirations, and Phifer played Jimmy’s close friend, Future. Kim Basinger and the late Brittany Murphy also starred. “Lose Yourself” won an Oscar for Best Music, Original Song.
