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In proof that rampant self-destruction is a young man’s game, Johnny Knoxville has announced that the upcoming Jackass 5 will be the franchise’s last installment.
Speaking with Rolling Stone, Knoxville said that the upcoming fifth installment “is the natural place to end.” Explained Knoxville, “It’s going to be absolutely awful,” adding that he was having real trouble saying goodbye to the prospect of any future films.
Fans and insiders had originally believed that the series would end back with 2022’s Jackass Forever. However, Knoxville told Variety at the time that “we never said it was the last one,” adding, “We’re never saying never.” Knoxville also mentioned speculation that they’d only ever do one film in the first place, but the team clearly changed their mind based on that movie’s initial success.
As to why the Jackass squad is calling it quits right now, it may have a lot to do with Knoxville’s own health issues. Back in 2022, Knoxville told USA Today that experienced brain damage shooting Jackass Forever after he was flipped in the air by a bull. He subsequently told Rolling Stone that the injury resulted in “catastrophic thinking” and an ongoing feeling that “the whole world was closing in.” (Knoxville has also mentioned recently that he couldn’t do anything on the Jackass 5 set that might have risked another concussion.)
“Your brain’s feeding you such terrible information,” Knoxville said of his initial injury. “People outside were telling me, ‘Your brain’s playing tricks on you.’ I’m like, ‘No, no, it’s happening.’ Nothing’s happening. Over five or six months, my mind just fell off a cliff, But then I got on medicine, and it started turning around and I started feeling like myself again.”
At the time of Jackass 5’s initial announcement, Knoxville made no indication at the time that this would be the last hurrah, writing, “Well a wang dang and hot damn doodle, we are starting the year off with a bang. We wanted to let you know that this summer Jackass is back!! More to come but wanted you to hear it from us first!!”
Jackass, of course, began in 2000 as an MTV series, and over three seasons introduced the world not only to Knoxville but the likes of Bam Margera, Steve-O, Ryan Dunn, and Jason “Wee Man” Acuña. It spent five movies, including 2002’s Jackass: The Movie, 2006’s Jackass Number Two and 2010’s Jackass 3D, as well as special “2.5,” “3.5,” and “4.5” editions with added features/bonus. The series also resulted in one spin-off film, 2013’s hidden camera comedy Bad Grandpa.
In responding to the interviewer’s closing well wishes, Knoxville offered up an oddly profound encapsulation of Jackass‘ own brand of “zen through the art of chaos,” saying, “You hope it doesn’t go well at all! Should be a f**king train wreck. That’s what you should hope for. I think we designed it that way.”
Jackass 5 hits theaters on June 26th.
English (US) · 