Abhiroop Das
Helmed by Jeff Tremaine, ‘Jackass: Best and Last‘ brings together some of the most iconic stunts, pranks, and practical jokes ever pulled off on screen by a group of daring performers and comedic geniuses, who are known to many as Jackasses. In this fifth and final movie of the franchise, the slapstick comedy is pushed to the next level, with lots of new stunts that either call back to iconic moments from ‘Jackass’ history or one-up them. At the same time, the film also dials back in time to release never-before-seen archival footage from episodes or stunts that never made it to the public, including the infamous pilot. However, the fact that everything about this film leans toward this being the Jackasses’ last and grandest venture together has left many fans wondering if this really is the end.
The Jackasses Are Ending the Story on a High Note Before They Get Too Old
The film ‘Jackass: Best and Last’ is confirmed to be the last entry in the ‘Jackass’ franchise. With three seasons, five feature-length films, and several companion films over the course of 26 years, the franchise has cemented its place in pop culture, but the creators have mutually decided that it’s time to bring things to a close. The primary reason for this is surprisingly simple, and it is one that Johnny Knoxville and company spend the entire film discussing: the beloved Jackasses are getting old.
In the film, Knoxville, who is 55 as of writing, sits down with co-stars Steve-O and Chris Pontius to discuss how they are simply getting too old to pull off the stunts and pranks that the franchise has become known for. Often, these stunts pose a huge bodily risk or are overly demanding on stunt artists’ bodies, and that much is self-evident to anyone who watches the events unfold on screen. Given that the Jackasses are known to perform most of their stunts, no matter how challenging, it isn’t hard to see why this can become difficult in the long run.
Knoxville has reportedly suffered numerous concussions and other serious injuries over the years, which is a major driving force for his decision to retire from performing major stunts. Fellow Jackass Ehren McGhehey told ScreenRant that he has had 28 surgeries in total, and also talked about how mentally taxing it can be to take on some of the stunt work. Thus, it is likely that the team behind ‘Jackass’ wanted to end things on as high a note as possible, without bringing unnecessary risk into the equation. To that end, filming for the final movie turned out to be a deeply emotional, but also funny experience. “This is our last day of filming after 25 years, and we haven’t learned a goddamn thing,” Knoxville joked in a conversation with The New Yorker, perfectly summarizing what makes this franchise so unlike anything that can be found on TV or on the big screen.
Johnny Knoxville and Team Might Regroup For Newer Projects
While the ‘Jackass’ franchise is coming to an end with ‘Jackass: Best and Last,’ it’s clearly not as if the team has run out of comedic and dramatic potential. In the penultimate film, funnily titled ‘Jackass Forever,’ a five-member team of rookie jackasses is introduced, and all of them routinely come up with stunts and pranks that they often participate in. In the case of a hypothetical sixth ‘Jackass’ movie, it is possible for these rookies: Eric Manaka, Zach Holmes, Jasper Dolphin, Sean “Poopies” McInerney, and Rachel Wolfson, to take over the reins. In such a scenario, the original Jackasses can return as the concept writers and prank designers, overseeing the next generation’s dive into the world of chaos, pain, and fun.
Interestingly, not everyone in the cast of ‘Jackass’ feels absolutely certain about this being the end of an era. Dave England, for instance, feels the crew got at least four more films’ worth of material to work with and maintains the personal opinion that the franchise will make a comeback. However, director and co-creator Jeff Tremaine seems to have made the definitive call here, confirming to ScreenRant that ‘Jackass: Best and Last’ is indeed their final venture. However, Johnny Knoxville has hinted that future collaborations with this core team might be underway, just not under the ‘Jackass’ label and storytelling format. His dream is to make a heist movie, and while many fellow Jackasses are interested in joining this hypothetical project, the bottom line is that their friendship has remained rock-solid and will continue to do so even if this legendary franchise ends here.
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