| Jackass Forever | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Jeff Tremaine |
| Based on | |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Dimitry Elyashkevich |
| Edited by |
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| Music by | Joseph Shirley |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release dates |
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Running time | 96 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $10 million[1] |
| Box office | $80.5 million[2][3] |
Jackass Forever (stylized asjackass fore♥er) is a 2022 American realityslapstickcomedy film directed and produced byJeff Tremaine, along with producersSpike Jonze andJohnny Knoxville, and was released byParamount Pictures. It is the fourth main installment in theJackass film series, followingJackass 3D (2010). The film stars originalJackass members Knoxville,Steve-O,Dave England,Wee Man,Danger Ehren,Chris Pontius,Preston Lacy, as well as newcomers Sean "Poopies" McInerney,Zach Holmes,Jasper Dolphin, Eric Manaka, Rachel Wolfson, theJackass film crew, and celebrity guests. This is the firstJackass film not to featureRyan Dunn following his death in 2011, and the first withoutBam Margera being a primary cast member as he was fired during production, appearing in only one skit.
Jackass Forever premiered at theChinese Theatre in Hollywood, California, on February 1, 2022,[4] and was theatrically released on February 4.[5] The film was well-received by critics, with many considering it the best film of the franchise.[6] It was also a commercial success, grossing over $80 million worldwide against a budget of $10 million.
Unused footage from the film was compiled separately, titledJackass 4.5, and released onNetflix on May 20, 2022.[7][8]
Jackass Forever is a compilation of stunts, skits and pranks intercut with on-set talking heads with its cast. The film begins with a tribute tokaiju cinema, in what appears to be a city being overrun by a giant green monster. In reality, it isChris Pontius' penis painted green over a small set of a city, intercut with the cast members running through a life-size set of the same city. The intro ends with the "monster" bitten by asnapping turtle andJohnny Knoxville's intro, "Hello, I'm Johnny Knoxville! Welcome toJackass!"
Stunts and pranks with the main cast include Knoxville facing a bull resulting in dangerous consequences;Dave England unsuspectingly getting pig semen dumped on him during a fake interview about the movie;Steve-O having his penis used as a beehive;Ehren McGhehey being subjected to painful tests with anathletic cup; Pontius' penis being used as the paddle forpaddle ball; a vulture eating pieces of meat offWee Man's body; andPreston Lacy's testicles being used as a miniature punching bag. The newcomers are also featured in many of the stunts and pranks, including Poopies trying to kiss aTexas rat snake;Jasper Dolphin being shot off a ramp by large industrial fans while he's holding a parachute;Zach Holmes gliding down into a bed of cactuses; Eric Manaka riding a bicycle full speed into a false wall; and Rachel Wolfson having a scorpion sting her lips.
The final stunt, the Vomitron, features Zach, Dave, Eric, Poopies, Steve-O and Jasper drinking milk while strapped to a high-speed carousel. As they start vomiting, Knoxville and the rest of the cast initiate an attack involving paintball guns, a tennis machine and multiple explosions. After assuming the stunt is over, one big explosion is set off, surprising the victims of the stunt.
The cast from the previous films return, with the exception of originalJackass memberRyan Dunn, who died in 2011,[9] but does appear through archival footage in the end credits and the movie is seen as a tribute to him.
It is the firstJackass film to feature new cast members.Bam Margera was terminated from production in August 2020,[10] for breaking his contract due to mandates related to substance abuse.[11] However, he appears in one skit, "The Marching Band", filmed prior to his firing, as well as being seen in archival footage.[12] Margera also filmed the segment "Silence of the Lambs", but his scenes were not included in the final cut. He was also in the background of "The Triple Wedgie", but was removed for the most part. He can also briefly be heard in "The Brick Drop" inJackass 4.5, but was again removed for the most part.
Cameos in the intro sequence include Arthur H. Spiegel III, Errol Chatham,Alia Shawkat,Jalen Ramsey,Otmara Marrero,DJ Paul,Sean Malto,Mike Carroll,Breana Geering, Rick Howard, Compston "Dark Shark" Wilson, Tyler, the Creator,Lionel Boyce,Travis "Taco" Bennett, Louie Anderson,Syd tha Kyd, Vincent Alvarez, andTony Hawk.
A significant portion of the film's crew appears onscreen:
In 2018,Johnny Knoxville said that he was open to making a fourthJackass film that may feature some new cast members, "just to bring in some fresh blood into it".[14] He said that he had continued to write ideas for stunts and that "a ton" have been set aside for the project, should it receive thegreen-light. In July 2019, former cast memberChris Raab said that he had interviewed theJackass crew on hisBathroom Breakpodcast and noted that everyone was still open to a fourth film should Knoxville,Jeff Tremaine, andSpike Jonze agree.[14] In late 2019, Knoxville met with Tremaine and released a 200-page document of concepts for a fourthJackass film. They agreed to film for two days with the entire cast to determine "if it still feels right" to makeJackass 4. "Honestly, after just five minutes of filming, we were ready to commit to making a movie", Tremaine said.[15] In September 2020,Steve-O had said he was surprised the film "even came to fruition".[16]
In May 2021, Knoxville stated the film would be his final contribution to theJackass franchise. "You can only take so many chances before something irreversible happens," Knoxville said. "I feel like I've been extremely lucky to take the chances I've taken and still be walking around."[17] During his July 12, 2021 appearance onJimmy Kimmel Live!, Knoxville revealed the film's title and showed the first official photos.[18]
In January 2021,Bam Margera claimed thatParamount Pictures regarded him as a liability, owing to his behavior leading up to and during production. He indicated that Tremaine had fought with the studio to keep Margera in the film, but Margera was uncertain that Paramount was going to allow him to partake in filming.[19] On February 11, Margera posted several videos to hisInstagram account, in which he admitted to breaking his sobriety and claimed that he had been officially fired from the filming ofJackass 4.[10] Throughout the video, Margera could be seen crying, vomiting, and alluding to having looked up "how to tie a noose" before his move toOceanside, California. Margera alleged that Paramount had been forcing him to take antidepressants, submit to random urine tests, and to check into two rehabilitation facilities using his own money. He also expressed disdain for Tremaine, Knoxville, and Jonze before asking his fans to boycott the film. He then solicited his followers to send him money in order to film his own movie to compete withJackass Forever. The videos were removed from Margera's Instagram account soon after being posted.[10][20] On May 25, 2021, Tremaine filed a temporaryrestraining order against Margera due to Margera's harassment of Tremaine and Knoxville via Instagram.[21] Tremaine was granted an additional three-year restraining order, extended to Tremaine's wife and children, after Margera allegedly sent his family death threats.[22] On August 9, 2021, Margera officially filed alawsuit against Knoxville, Jonze, and Tremaine, as well as against Paramount Pictures,MTV, Dickhouse Entertainment, and Gorilla Flicks, alleging that he was wrongfully fired from the film's production.[23] Margera also said that the film makes use of contributions he made before his firing and is seeking an injunction on the October release of the film as a result.[24] On January 12, 2022, Knoxville said that one scene Margera filmed will remain, despite the lawsuit.[12] Both parties came to terms on a settlement after Margera asked to dismiss the lawsuit on April 14, 2022. The details of the settlement remain private.[25]
On May 25, Knoxville confirmed six new cast members:Jasper Dolphin ofOdd Future, and one of the stars ofLoiter Squad; Jasper's ex-convict father Compston "Dark Shark" Wilson, who made recurring guest appearances throughout the film; Eric Manaka, who had a role in Knoxville's filmAction Point; stand-up comedian Rachel Wolfson;[26]Zach Holmes fromToo Stupid to Die; and surfer Sean "Poopies" McInerney[27] who had previously appeared in theJackass Shark Week special.[28][29][30] The project was initially presented as a possible anniversary special, and the new cast were later told it would be a movie.[26][31][32]
Wee Man stated that the original plan was to film in different locations around the world, which was ultimately thwarted by theCOVID-19 pandemic. He also claimed that Paramount Pictures usedJackass Forever to see how film studios could potentially resume filming during the pandemic.[33] Because the majority of the film was filmed during the pandemic, all cast and crew members had to be tested forCOVID-19 daily during filming. On January 6, 2022, Jeff Tremaine stated that all of the testing combined had a cost of "about over (sic) one million dollars".[34]
Test filming began on December 10, 2019.[35] During the two days of test filming, professional skateboarderAaron "Jaws" Homoki broke his hand, and suffered a concussion.[36]Principal photography started on March 3, 2020. On the first day of filming, the cast threw snakes on Bam Margera in the dark in order to induce hisfear of snakes.[37] Two days after the movie wasgreenlit, Steve-O and Johnny Knoxville were hospitalized.[38] Filming was halted in March 2020 due to theCOVID-19 pandemic and resumed seven months later on October 19, 2020,[39] with Dimitry Elyashkevich serving as cinematographer.[40]
Wee Man said that out of allJackass films, "this one hurt the most".[33] On December 15, 2020, it was reported that Knoxville and Steve-O had been hospitalized due to on-set injuries.[41][42] Knoxville was injured while filming a rodeo stunt at the ranch of Gary Leffew. After being charged by a bull, he suffered a broken rib, a broken wrist, a concussion and a brain hemorrhage.[17]Dave England broke one of his teeth after the "Toilet Geyser".[43] Steve-O broke his collarbone but the stunt was cut.[44] Steve-O also lost both of his eyebrows in another scene that was cut from the film,[45] but was shown inJackass 4.5.[8]Ehren McGhehey ruptured his right testicle after one of the "Cup Tests".[46] Pro skateboarder Aaron "Jaws" Homoki severely burnt his right hand in another cut scene.[45] Dave England also burnt his right hand during the opening sequence. Zach Holmes got an infection after he glided into the cactus patch. Cameraman and associate producerRick Kosick broke his ankle during the opening sequence.
On December 19, 2019,Paramount Pictures scheduled the film for release on March 5, 2021.[47] In April 2020, the release date was delayed to July 2, 2021.[48] In July 2020, the film was delayed again to September 3, 2021 due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[49] In April 2021, the film was delayed yet again to October 22, 2021.[50] In September 2021, the film was delayed once more to February 4, 2022.[5] The film had its world premiere at theChinese Theatre in Hollywood, California, on February 1, 2022, and was released theatrically by Paramount Pictures on February 4, 2022.[5]
The film became available onParamount+ on March 22, 2022,[51] and digitally on March 29, 2022, followed by aBlu-ray andDVD release on April 19, 2022.[52] The Blu-ray, DVD and digital releases include 40 minutes of additional footage. It was broadcast onShowtime in the United States on August 21, 2022.[53]
Jackass Forever grossed $57.8 million in the United States and Canada, and $22.7 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $80.5 million.[3]
In the United States and Canada,Jackass Forever was released alongsideMoonfall, and was projected to gross around $15 million from 3,604 theaters in its opening weekend,[1] withBoxoffice Pro predicting a $22–32 million three-day debut.[54] The film earned $9.6 million on its first day (including an estimated $1.65 million from Thursday night previews), increasing weekend predictions to $20 million. Around 300 theaters were closed on Thursday due to awinter storm impacting most of the Midwestern United States.Jackass Forever went on to debut with $23.2 million.[55] It is the third film from Paramount to finish first at the box office in its opening weekend during the COVID-19 pandemic, followingA Quiet Place Part II andScream. Social media monitor RelishMix credited the film's box office performance to a large online fanbase, positive word of mouth, and shoutouts to Margera, Knoxville's physical journey, and "memories ofJackass over 22 years". Box office analytics firm EntTelligence also noted the film's runtime of 96 minutes for increasing the number of showtimes in theaters.Deadline Hollywood mentioned the film's genre and the franchise's prevalence onTikTok as other contributing factors.[56] The film made $8.1 million in its second weekend,[57] $5.2 million in its third,[58] $3.1 million in its fourth,[59] $1.4 million in its fifth,[60] and $1.1 million in its sixth.[61] The film dropped out of the box office top ten in its seventh weekend, finishing twelfth with $510,117.[62]
Outside the US and Canada, the film grossed $5.2 million from nine markets, including $2.8 million in the UK and $1.8 million from Australia, the latter opening in first place at the box office while the film finished second in the UK, Norway, and New Zealand.[63] The film earned $2.7 million in its second weekend,[64] $2 million in its third,[65] $1.7 million in its fourth,[66] $767,000 in its fifth,[67] $1.8 million in its sixth,[68] $1.1 million in its seventh,[69] and $585,000 in its eighth.[70]
On thereview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, 86% of 172 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7/10. The website's consensus reads: "A gleefully gonzo franchise revival,Jackass Forever will make you worry more than ever for the cast's health and safety – but not enough to hold back the laughter."[71]Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 74 out of 100, based on 40 critics. It is the highest ratedJackass film on both websites.[6] Audiences polled byCinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale, while those atPostTrak gave it an 86% positive score, with 67% saying they would definitely recommend it.[56]
Owen Gleiberman ofVariety wrote: "the team have not slacked off in their mission to create what are basically the world's most stupidly elaborate frat-house hazing stunts, and to stage them with a juvenile masochistic fervor that lies somewhere between psychotic and religious".[72] David Fear ofRolling Stone gave it four out of five and wrote: "Forget the title: Jackass can't go on forever. Just enjoy one last chance to see these beautiful fuck-ups do what they do best before they limp and hobble off into the sunset."[29]
In June 2025,IndieWire ranked the film at number 27 on its list of "The 100 Best Movies of the 2020s (So Far)."[73]
In a 2021 interview onThe Film Stage, director and producerJeff Tremaine was asked ifEric André would make an appearance inJackass Forever after collaborating onBad Trip (2021): "Maybe Eric's in it. If he's not, he'll be inJackass 4.5," Tremaine said.[74] Cast memberEhren McGhehey said they had filmed so much forJackass Forever and ended up with two films worth of footage. He also said thatJackass 4.5 would be similar toJackass 2.5 (2007), andJackass 3.5 (2011), consisting ofbehind-the-scenes, unused footage, outtakes, and interviews with the cast and crew members.[75]Chris Pontius stated thatJackass 4.5 would be released onNetflix,[76] whichJohnny Knoxville later confirmed.[77]Preston Lacy andSteve-O said that it would be available on Netflix until 2024, and move toParamount+ afterwards.[78] It was released on May 20, 2022.[7]
The most notable added bits include: Johnny Knoxville, disguised as Irving Zisman, ringing the fire alarm of a retirement home in front of his unsuspecting caretaker; Steve-O having his eyebrows waxed off by a raptor and letting another raptor eat fish out of his anus;Dave England throwing a brick tied to his penis from a scaffold;Wee Man unsuspectingly getting horse semen dumped on him in a similar fashion to what happened to Dave England; Preston Lacy getting shot in the stomach by a tennis ball from an elephant gun; Ehren McGhehey having a bowling ball thrown against his nuts by a professional bowler as part of the "Cup Tests"; Sean "Poopies" McInerney standing on a stepladder and hitting it with a sledgehammer saying he'll show him;Jasper Dolphin getting hit on the head by a boxing glove attached to an arrow from a bow;Zach Holmes unsuspectingly getting shot with paint and glitters from an air pressure cannon while wearing aVR headset; and Rachel Wolfson, Chris Pontius, and Steve-O eating sashimi off Zach's sweaty body.
He didn't reveal it was a movie initially, he said it was an anniversary special
