Former Jackass star Bam Margera has reportedly put in the motion to dismiss his lawsuit against the Jackass Forever filmmakers. Per TMZ, the actor, prankster, and daredevil has settled the wrongful termination lawsuit he'd filed against fellow Jackass veterans Johnny Knoxville, Jeff Tremaine, and Spike Jonze, as well as Paramount Pictures, MTV, and others associated with the project. The financial terms of the settlement have not been disclosed.
This marks the end of a legal battle between Margera and his former friends that had gotten rather heated at times. It all began when Margera had signed a "wellness agreement" to take part in Jackass Forever, which Bam likened to "psychological torture." He also said that the filmmakers had taken advantage of him by having him sign the agreement while he was in an emotional state. In any case, Margera was fired from the film for violating the agreement and called out Knoxville and Tremaine on social media, feeling it was unfair.
"While Margera has given Jackass-quite literally-more than two decades worth of his blood, sweat and tears, the defendants have not repaid him in kind," Margera's attorney, Eric M. George, said when the lawsuit was filed in August. "Rather, Margera, who has a documented history of mental health issues, including diagnosed bipolar disorder, has been the victim of unconscionable discrimination at the hands of defendants."
Margera added, "I am p*ssed off, angry, hurt, and shattered that Johnny (Knoxville), Jeff (Tremaine), Spike (Jonze) and the studios and producers ripped off my creativity, content, and stunts to make this movie, fired me without justification, and refuse to pay for my work; I created this franchise before any of these guys ever got involved. My lawsuit isn't just about compensation. It's about treating people with mental health and addiction issues in an honest manner and not taking advantage of their disabilities to rip them off."
Bam Margera Appears Briefly in Jackass Forever
Bam Margera had been working on Jackass Forever when his firing came, so there was a lot of footage that included him in the original cut. He had filmed the "Silence of the Lambs" segment with Steve-O, but Margera's scenes were cut from the theatrical release. Margera can also be seen in the background of the "Triple Wedgie" stunt, though most of the footage where he could be shown has been cut out. There's just enough of Margera left behind for him to have his name appearing in the credits.
Other than the late Ryan Dunn and the ousted Margera, Jackass Forever brought back all of its other major players: Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Dave England, Wee Man, Danger Ehren, and Preston Lacy. The film also introduced new cast members, including Jasper Dolphin, Sean McInerney, Eric Manaka, Zach Holmes, and Rachel Wolfson. There are no current plans for any other movies to be made in the series, but with new cast members there to potentially carry the torch, Jackass 5 isn't outside the realm of possibility.
Jackass Forever is now streaming on Paramount+.