Jackass co-creator and star, Johnny Knoxville, has confirmed that troubled castmate and friend, Bam Margera, will star in the upcoming Jackass Forever. Margera was previously fired from the production after he failed to stick to a rigid sobriety regimen designed by Paramount and the Jackass team. Soon after being terminated from the film, Margera lashed out at his former castmates, was hit with a restraining order, and eventually filed a wrongful dismissal lawsuit.

At present, Margera’s lawsuit against Paramount, Knoxville, Jackass director/co-creator Jeff Tremaine, and producer Spike Jonze (among others) is still very much alive. A recent decision by a Los Angeles superior court judge found that the lawsuit – which was previously disregarded by Jackass star Steve-O as being “absurd” – had a probability of success. This undoubtedly came as a surprise to the defendants, just as it did to many Jackass fans. For quite some time now, Margera has been battling substance abuse and mental health issues that have threatened not just the former pro-skater’s career, but also his life. And while fans feel a certain degree of fear that Margera won’t bounce back from these difficulties, the weight of his struggles has cast a dark shadow over the entire Jackass franchise.

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With the release of Jackass Forever less than a month away, many have been wondering what this new era of the stupid stunt franchise will be like without its original crew intact. But as Knoxville recently told Variety, Margera may have been fired from Jackass Forever, but he is still in the film. Lamenting the fact that Margera couldn’t be in the entire film rather than portions of it, Knoxville called the situation “heartbreaking,” explaining:

We wanted him all throughout the movie, but unfortunately that’s not the way it worked out. It’s really heartbreaking. I love Bam. We all love Bam. He’s our brother, you know? You just hope that he takes it upon himself to get the help that he needs, because we all care about him a lot.”

The process of Margera returning to a healthy state has been no easy task, and at one point, the 42-year-old even enlisted the help of TV talk show psychologist, Dr. Phil McGraw. It is exactly because of the numerous struggles Margera has faced on his journey to get healthy that the Jackass Forever regimen was put in place. Throughout the production, the legally binding contract stipulated several strict policies, including up to two urine tests per week, three breathalyzer tests per day and regular hair follicle tests. He was ultimately fired from the production when he tested positive for Adderall – a drug that he maintains he wasn’t abusing and which was prescribed to him. Paramount disagreed, saying that Margera bought the drug off the street.

One thing that has been made clear with regard to Jackass Forever is that this is the film in which the legacy that its originators created is set to be passed on to a new generation of pranksters. Margera’s lawsuit shouldn’t impact the film’s release, but it’s hard to say what the future of Jackass could be like if he wins. At any rate, fans of Margera will undoubtedly be both relieved and delighted to learn that he’ll be appearing in the film after all.

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Source: Variety

Key Release Dates
  • Jackass Forever (2022)Release date: Feb 04, 2022
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Mike Jones
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Mike Jones is an author, screenwriter, world traveller and cinephile. His work has been featured in print and online in a variety of publications, and he’s also a Berlinale Talents alumnus. Cinema has always moved him in a big way and aside from having seen The Talented Mr Ripley more times than any other living person, he maintains a pretty darn healthy physical media collection. His favourite filmmakers include: Jordan Peele, David Lean, Alfred Hitchcock, Mike Leigh, Steven Spielberg, the Dardenne Brothers, Noah Baumbach, Michael Haneke, Barry Jenkins and Andrea Arnold. Often jet-lagged, Mike once turned down a certain A-list celebrity’s offer to join them for a night of partying after a strange encounter in an airport.

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