Johnny Knoxville walks back the whole “final” Jackass film thing
Reboot star Johnny Knoxville is actually open to more Jackass, despite contrary reports
Aux News Jackass
No one would blame Johnny Knoxville for retiring Jackass after putting his body on the line for two decades. He’s had a dangerous number of concussions, and was most recently hospitalized after a run-in with a bull on the set of Jackass Forever. Therefore it came as no surprise when writer Sam Schube reported in his GQ profile that the stuntman confirmed the film would “be his last contribution to the franchise.”
Except that turned out to be definitely not true, which probably also doesn’t come as a surprise. In May, it was reported that Paramount+ was developing a new Jackass series with the original creators (not named, but that’s Knoxville, Jeff Tremaine, and Spike Jonze). So what is the truth?
“We never said whether it was or wasn’t [the final film]. That got written somewhere and people ran with it,” Knoxville says in a new Variety interview. “If we did continue, we would lean on the younger cast more and the old guys would take a little step back but still be a part of it. I would have to step back because my neurologist said I can’t have any more concussions.”
The Reboot star doesn’t allude to any development over at Paramount+, but it’s clear he’s neither handing over the reins nor putting them down entirely. (Except for literal reins, if there are any bulls involved. And while we’re on the subject, Knoxville admits he had “three or four” other stunts planned “on the same level as the bull” that he had to scrap from the movie: “Even if I had gotten through the bull, I wouldn’t have gotten out of the others. One of them would have taken me out.”)
And so, the legacy of Jackass is still being written. Though if you ask Knoxville where it stands now, he says, “I never even think about it unless someone asks me about it in an interview. That’s not for me to answer. It belongs to everybody now. However you perceive Jackass is fine by me. The toothpaste is out of the tube.”
16 Comments
Are we sure he’s “walking back” and not just forgotten what he said five minutes ago, let alone a few months?
harsh but fair
The Kinja Caffeine Spider Harsh but fair
That’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me!
*wipes tear*
Next up on Jackass: Johnny Knoxville is placed in a giant toothpaste tube and has to be squeezed out by the rest of the gang.
I’m confused. He has said on numerous occasions that he won’t be participating in any more dangerous stunts. But would still be involved and they would focus on the younger cast. This has always been the messaging.
“I’ll retire from dangerous stunts when I start repeating myself.
I’ll retire from dangerous stunts when I start repeating myself.
I’ll retire from dangerous stunts when I start repeating myself…”
That’s exactly what he’s saying now. What’s confusing?
I think he and Tom Cruise are in some sort of secret race to see which one of them can die on set during a stunt first.
It would be Knoxville, easily. Cruise prepares for months for his stunts. Knoxville, by design, doesn’t.
‘The toothpaste is out of the tube.’ I’ll be borrowing that. Mind you, given the whacks and wallops he’s taken to the candy bag……
I’m watching a Hellraiser movie as I read this and all I can think of is a skit of them dressed as the Cenobites. “Hi I’m Johnny Knoxville and we’re gonna show you the true meaning of pain…” (Not the new one on Hulu, but making my through the series, up to Hellraiser 4: Bloodline.)
Quick recommendation for Reboot: everything about the show is terrific!
To my mind, particularly the interplay between Paul Reiser and Rachel Bloom.
Is… is the title censored in the headline on the front page? Huh.
I was wondering about that as well. Who is the word “jackass” offensive towards? Maybe I’m behind the times.