Netflix announced Thursday the premiere of its latest documentary exploring the controversial social media fitness sensation Brian Johnson, better known as The Liver King. UNTOLD: The Liver King will debut on the streaming platform May 13.
The documentary examines Johnson’s meteoric rise to fame built on his primal persona — complete with ancestral tenets, daily consumption of raw organ meats, and a perpetually shirtless existence that projected alpha male energy.
Director Joe Pearlman’s character study delves beyond typical fitness documentary territory, instead focusing on the intersection of internet fame and identity. “We live in a time when someone can reach hundreds of millions of people without going through any kind of traditional gatekeeping. No background checks: Just a phone and a guy,” Pearlman explains.
Johnson gained millions of followers through his distinctive social media presence, featuring his booming voice, muscular physique, and unconventional lifestyle practices — from sunning intimate body parts to consuming bull testicles.
The film chronicles how scrutiny intensified alongside Johnson’s growing fame, particularly when steroid allegations contradicted his all-natural branding claims.
UNTOLD: The Liver King features candid interviews with Johnson, his family members, and executives behind his supplement empire, providing viewers unprecedented access to the unmasking of a social media phenomenon.
The documentary represents the latest addition to Netflix’s UNTOLD series, though early viewer reactions to the announcement have been mixed. Comments on the trailer range from disappointment to outright criticism, with some longtime subscribers questioning the platform’s content direction.
