Jeff Tremaine & Johnny Knoxville Interview: Jackass Forever

The Jackass franchise started with the original TV show back in 2000, and it’s still going strong more than two decades later. Its time on the small screen may have ended long ago, but Jackass continues to be a force on the big screen with the release of the new movie Jackass Forever. Once again, star Johnny Knoxville and the gang are back for another outing full of outrageous stunts that will shock and entertain viewers.

Screen Rant had an opportunity to interview Knoxville and Jackass Forever director Jeff Tremaine about the franchise’s future, the status of Jackass 4.5, and much more.

It felt like a reunion with my completely untrustworthy best friends. It was so good to see everybody.

Johnny Knoxville: That’s very fair.

Johnny, over the years, I just want to know what is the worst, weirdest or oddest thing a doctor has ever said to you as a result of filming Jackass?

Johnny Knoxville: Oh my goodness. There have been a lot of really ridiculous discussions with doctors just when you go in like, “What happened?” and then I have to tell them what happened. But I guess when the one doctor told me I was gonna have a catheter for 3-and-a-half years after one particular stunt I did, that was a pretty odd discussion.

Jeff Tremaine: Well, I mean, when the blood was dripping out of the tip of your thing and the ambulance driver told us, “Well that’s not good.”

Johnny Knoxville: Yeah. I was like, “Is this bad?” He’s like, “Yup.”

I will say that the Ryan Dunn car up his butt is pretty iconic as far as doctor reactions go.

Johnny Knoxville: That doctor was amazing. We just got gold with him. It just happened upon him.

Seeing how much joy the announcement of Jackass Forever brought and just the reaction so far, Jeff, what do you envision as the future of Jackass? Would you ever want to resurrect the series? 

Jeff Tremaine: Man. There’s no plan. I hate saying that because it makes me sound dumb. But there’s never been a plan. There’s never been a future plan. We make each and every one of these as if it’s the last one, and I think that’s the only way we can make these. You can’t be planning the next one. If you’re in the middle of shooting one of these, you have to leave it on the floor and hope everybody lives.

Johnny Knoxville: I don’t think we’ll ever resurrect the series though because we’ve tasted what it’s like to be able to do whatever we want in films, you know? There could be another film, possibly. We have the younger cast, a ton of ideas, but like Jeff said, we don’t make plans.

Jeff Tremaine: Also, once we’ve seen a group watch this, it’s so important to us that this is in theaters, that you get together with people and experience this together because it’s so visceral. We went out on the very first movie we did. We filmed the audience watching it and watching them just like react, it was so fun to watch.

What about Jackass 4.5?

Jeff Tremaine: It’s coming.

Johnny Knoxville: Oh it’s stacked! It is great. There’s so many great bits that did not make this film. So it’s stacked. You’re going to like it.

The worst part of Jackass Forever was the ending. I was so sad it was over, I just wanted it to keep going. Johnny, the other guys said when you said that, “This was my last Jackass project,” They said, “He always says that. He would come back.”

Johnny Knoxville: No one has faith in me! Jeff said, “Ah, he’s lying!” I mean, if there was another one, I’d do my best to sit behind the camera with Jeff. I, historically, haven’t been that great at that but I would do my best.

Jeff Tremaine: I’ve seen him try to do that, where he’s trying to just stay back while something’s happening in front of the camera. As soon as I blink, he’s right out there, getting the worst of it.

Johnny Knoxville: It kind of makes me act worse when I try to be good.

Yeah, I was surprised you were allowed. Actually, of all the people that continue to put themselves through this, I’m surprised Lance Bangs keeps coming back.

Johnny Knoxville: He’s such a great filmmaker, such a sensitive guy. He usually pukes, like, once a film, something will get to him. He puked six times in this film. We just couldn’t show every time.

Jeff Tremaine: Well, and it was into his mask, which made it so much grosser for him. Not us, necessarily, because it caught everything. But yeah, he had to wear a mask and he’s throwing up into his mask. It was dripping out.

Johnny Knoxville: I was constantly calling for a new mask for Lance in this film.

About The Author

Ash Crossan
(214 Articles Published)

Ash Crossan is a Lead Content Producer & Host for Screen Rant. With nearly a decade of experience under her belt, Ash joined Screen Rant in 2021 as a lead interviewer. Based in Los Angeles, Ash is a fan of all things Star Wars, Marvel, DC, 90s Nickelodeon and rom-coms. Follow Ash on Twitter: @AshCrossan.

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