Is this the end of Jackass?

Now that “Jackass Forever” has been released, many wonder whether this will be the final contribution to the series.

Carter Thrash, Reporter|March 25, 2022

Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Many websites are reporting on the countless injuries the cast has had. Some questioned whether production of the film should even continue.

“Jackass” is known for its absurdity. Being shot in the air out of a cannon, massive slip-and-slides, and most memorably, the countless nut shots. As cringeworthy as some of these stunts are, it’s impossible to turn away. The Jackass movies have been released at a rate of once every couple years, starting when the cast was in their 20’s and 30’s. Since then, the cast has grown older and suffered countless injuries. With that in mind, many have been wondering if this Jackass Forever will be their last contribution to the series.

Jackass started in the late 90s when aspiring actor and writer, Johnny Knoxville, “had an idea for an article where I would test different types of self-defense equipment on myself. A few magazines wanted the story, but nobody wanted the liability.” After contacting multiple magazines, he got approval from one known as Big Brother. The magazine typically focused on skateboarding and skating culture. When Knoxville’s idea became a massive success, he was brought on as a journalist. Not long after, Knoxville came up with the idea of Jackass. MTV signed the dotted line and production began. MTV aired three seasons between October 2000 and February 2002 where the ten cast members carried out stunts and pranks on each other and the public. This was also a massive success. After just two weeks, it gave MTV the highest ratings they had ever had.

Johnny Knoxville is notorious in his movies for having a stunt involving an angry bull. In Jackass Forever, he suffered multiple broken bones and a concussion after being thrown into the air.

Jackass: The Movie was released in 2002, Jackass Number Two in 2006, Jackass 3D in 2010, and finally, Jackass Forever was released last month. Over the years, the cast has received injury upon injury during the production of these films. Among these include a broken wrist, broken ribs, concussions, snake bites on the face, electric shocks, third degree burns, a broken nose, and lost teeth. With that being said, it is no surprise the cast might be ready to put this series to rest. If another Jackass were to be released, most of the cast would be in their late 50’s or early 60’s, not nearly as youthful and resilient as they were in 2002. As Johnny Knoxville said, “I knew going into this movie that this was going to be the last time I was going to do big stunts because I’ve got kids and I’ve had so many injuries.” Knoxville adds, “I feel like I could go out good in this film by being my last with big stunts. I’ve got nothing left to prove in that area.”

In another stunt, one of the guys was challenged to kiss a snake without making a sound. He was bitten twice in the face and did not make a sound.

Knoxville is absolutely right. He alone has suffered brain damage from 16 (maybe 17, he’s not exactly sure) concussions, mental health issues, torn tendons, herniated disks, sprained ankles, a broken collarbone, and much more.

While this appears to be the last Jackass in the series, the countless nut shots and injuries will be remembered for decades to come. The Jackass cast has undoubtedly done more to themselves than what a regular person would experience in their entire life. Maybe more Jackass films will be made in the future with a different cast. Only time will tell.