TV watchers have seen a number of beloved properties find new life due to reboots, revivals and spinoffs as of late. Earlier this year, fans were delighted by the release of Jackass Forever, the long awaited fourth main theatrical adaptation of the MTV classic. The film saw Johnny Knoxville and co. back to doing what they do best: entertaining fans with wild, funny and very painful stunts. Some might say that it’s a sweet mixture of extreme crotch pain and nostalgia. The film proved to be a success and, now, Knoxville and his pals are now headed back to the small screen for a new series.
A brand-new Jackass show is officially headed to Paramount+, and the original creators are collaborating the streamer to produce it. The major news was revealed by Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakish during the company’s Q1 earnings call. According to the exec, the move was indeed spurred by the success of the latest movie. And with the noise that the flick made at the box office, it’s not hard to see why the entertainment entity would want to keep the momentum going.
The series' latest feature, directed by Jeff Tremaine, scored an opening weekend haul of $23.5 million when it hit theaters back in February. By the end of its run, the film had earned $80.3 million worldwide against its $10 million budget. The production also received mostly positive reviews from critics and longtime fans. While the outrageous stunts were lauded, many seemed most impressed with the faithfulness to the series' hilarious and raunchy roots.
The OG show premiered on MTV in 2000 and, despite receiving backlash for its dangerous stunts, it garnered a loyal following. After the series ended in 2001 after three seasons, it eventually grew into a true franchise, one that birthed an array of small and big-screen spinoffs. Considering where things began, it’s pretty poetic that the cast and crew would find their way back to television now.
There are a few things that need to be considered, though. First off, will the OG players take center stage here, or with this new production focus mostly on the new cast members introduced in Forever? Some of the veterans did the flick as their last hurrah, so it could be the end for them in front of the camera. Thankfully, newcomers like Jasper Dolphin, Rachel Wolfson and Sean "Poopies" McInerney (who experienced his “gnarliest” injury off camera) more than proved that they can handle the pain, so they could definitely lead it. Though fans would probably still hope to see veterans like Wee Man and Danger Ehren McGhehey, who proved to be a surprise scene-stealer in the latest theatrical installment.
And of course, there’s also the matter of the actual stunts that could potentially be performed. The fourth main movie went hard in the paint (or crotch, so to speak) when it came to upping the danger level. Seeing Steve-O turn his penis into a beehive and Preston Lacy getting his testicles beaten like a punching bag was pretty surreal. Let’s also not forget that wild bull stunt, which resulted in brain damage for Johnny Knoxville. (And he doesn’t regret performing the act.) Fans have praised the sequence, and the cast even believes it to be Oscar-worthy.
One can only imagine what Johnny Knoxville and the gang are cooking up for this new Jackass show. With any luck, it’ll continue to propel the franchise forward while staying true to what’s made it so beloved. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to laugh, gasp and tear up while watching more insane antics.
As you wait for news on the upcoming show, know that the original series and all of the Jackass movies are streamable with a Paramount+ subscription.
