Netflix is set to feature Rachael “Raygun” Gunn in an upcoming documentary, offering a timely look back at her highly discussed performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The streaming platform has announced that Untold: Raygun, Breaking Badly will debut worldwide on September 1, joining the service’s acclaimed sports documentary collection.
This upcoming film seeks to look past the viral social media posts, giving Gunn the opportunity to share her own perspective on the events that captured global internet attention.
Premiere Date and Streaming Details
According to reports covering the announcement, Untold: Raygun, Breaking Badly will be available on Netflix starting September 1. The broader return of the Untold sports series is scheduled for August 25, highlighting three notable figures: college football player Vince Young, viral Olympic breakdancer Raygun, and pop culture figure Mr. T. Although Gunn’s documentary is part of this larger release window, it is being promoted with its own specific September 1 premiere date.
This documentary is part of the latest installment of the Untold series, produced by brothers Chapman Way and Maclain Way. The duo is also responsible for the other episodes in this release cycle focusing on Vince Young and Mr. T. As a Netflix original, the documentary will launch simultaneously worldwide, meaning viewers will not have to wait for regional release schedules. Additionally, the film will be accessible to all standard Netflix subscribers without requiring an upgraded subscription tier.
Reclaiming the Narrative from Global Mockery
The documentary follows Gunn as she navigates the intense public reaction to her 2024 Olympic breaking performance. It reveals that her anxiety began even before she stepped onto the stage. In the promotional trailer, Gunn shares that she had expressed a fear to her therapist prior to the event that the world would laugh at her—a scenario that ultimately manifested on a global scale.
During the competition in Paris, Gunn did not score any points across her three breaking battles, which quickly led to widespread online criticism and parody. Netflix’s promotional materials describe the subsequent reaction as a wave of memes, online rumors, and conspiracy theories that targeted her performance and falsely claimed she manipulated the qualification process.
Among these rumors was an online petition with 50,000 signatures claiming Gunn had created her own breaking organization to guarantee her Olympic spot. This petition was later removed following an intervention by the Australian Olympic Committee. The documentary intends to address these claims and clarify the actual qualification process.
Academic Departures and Personal Backstory
Before her rise to internet fame, Gunn worked as an academic at Macquarie University. However, she accepted a voluntary redundancy earlier this year during restructuring and budget cuts within the university’s arts department. This professional transition adds a layer of complexity to a story that has largely been reduced to social media clips of her dance moves.
Directed by Chapman Way and Maclain Way, who previously directed Wild Wild Country, the film documents Gunn’s journey from an academic to an Olympic competitor. The project features interviews with her parents and her partner, Free, offering a more personal look at an individual who quickly became a central figure in internet culture.
In the trailer, Gunn discusses her perspective on the public reaction, noting that she initially found the memes amusing before distancing herself when the online commentary intensified. She also addresses the public perception of her identity, acknowledging that she represents an unusual combination of an academic, a competitive breaker, and a self-described dorky white woman.
Canceled Adaptations and Future Outlook
This documentary is not the first attempt to adapt Gunn’s story for the public. A planned workshop production of a theatrical show titled Raygun, The Musical was canceled in late 2024 after Gunn’s legal representatives requested that the organizers refrain from using her name or signature dance movements. This legal action adds another element of interest to the documentary, where Gunn has direct involvement in telling her story.
Born in Hornsby, New South Wales, on September 2, 1987, Gunn had early training in ballroom, tap, and jazz before transitioning to competitive breaking. The documentary plans to explore this decade-long background leading up to her Olympic appearance. Given the ongoing discussions surrounding her performance, the film is expected to be a highly discussed release in the Untold lineup.
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Netflix’s “Untold” Series Expands with Three New Documentaries – Vince Young, Raygun, and Mr. T
