If there’s one trait that seems to define all billionaires, it’s that absurd wealth has seemingly granted them genius visionary insights and the brilliant idea that the rules of life and society do not apply to them; they’re special And look, lots of dumb, arrogant, assholes are rich and powerful, Donald Trump, Elon Musk, etc. etc.—just because you’ve become wealthy does not make you some virtuoso or inventor, it just gives unlimited money to burn on foolish ideas (Musk bought Telsa, did not invent anything, FYI). Take Bryan Johnson, the featured subject of the upcoming Netflix documentary, “Don’t Die: The Man Who Wants To Live Forever.”
READ MORE: The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2025; ‘Superman’ & More
A so-called “biohacker” and centimillionaire who made his fortune selling Venmo (the company he did not found and the concept that he did not create) for $800 million, Johnson is another one of these clowns who believes money can buy him more time. In 2021, he announced an anti-aging attempt called “Project Blueprint,” which is basically just plasma transfusions from younger men to keep them youthful and looking younger. Recently, he’s been swapping blood with his 17-year-old son (one recent experiment of fat injections almost destroyed his face).
Not for nothing: Johnson looks like shit, and like Peter Thiel, is another rat-faced fucking asshole rich guy who doesn’t think any systems, policies, or governance applies to him. Plus, he’s ghostly white and looks sickly and sweaty; I guess there is no sunlight in their evil lairs. He’s also described as a grifter in this doc.
Support independent movie journalism to keep it alive. Sign up for The Playlist Newsletter. All the content you want and, oh, right, it’s free.
The documentary is directed by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Chris Smith, known for “American Movie,” “100 Foot Wave,” and the doc about Robert Downey Jr.’s father, “Sr,” and obviously centers on Johnson’s arrogant idea of cheating death. His singular goal “Don’t die.”
Here’s the official “Don’t Die: The Man Who Wants To Live Forever” synopsis:
How far would you go to live forever – or even just slow down the aging process? This startling documentary by Chris Smith (Fyre, 100 Foot Wave) is told through intimate access to Bryan Johnson, a man who has dedicated his life to defying aging Don’t Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever dives into the controversial wellness practices one man is using to maintain youth and vitality, and the effect this journey has on himself and those around him.
“Don’t Die: The Man Who Wants To Live Forever” premieres on Netflix on January 1. Watch the first trailer below.