Emotional Finale on a Dressed-Up Red Carpet
The screams were different this time. At the June 24 premiere of “Jackass: Best and Last” at Paramount Pictures’ Hollywood lot, the shrieks from the audience weren’t just from disgust or laughter — they were tinged with the sting of goodbye. The black-tie optional affair drew Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, and a parade of guest stars including Pedro Pascal, Paris Jackson, and Tyler, The Creator, each interpreting the dress code in their own way: some in tuxedos, others in Chucks and casual wear.
The after-party was a classic Jackass cocktail of elegance and anarchy. Candelabras and flower arrangements adorned the Paramount Theatre, where a tattooed man in tight underwear and angel wings played classical renditions of modern pop songs on a grand piano. Guests dined on obscene pasta shapes, watched a drone show, and drank cocktails served from an ice sculpture of a bare backside — a fittingly absurd salute to a quarter-century of self-destructive entertainment.
Aging Bodies, Unseen Footage, and a Fond Look Back
The film itself, which hits theaters June 26, blends newly shot stunts with a sprawling retrospective. Director Jeff Tremaine frames the chaos around the now-middle-aged cast — all north of 50 — discussing their past exploits, interspersing never-before-seen MTV-era clips with infamous later moments like Steve-O’s “Poo Cocktail Supreme.” The new material leans hard into their aging bodies: prostate exams and colonoscopies become set pieces, with a robotic finger probe leaving one cast member sore.
My butthole really hurts.Steve-O (Cast Member)
For Johnny Knoxville, the driving force of the franchise, the most painful moment came off-camera. In an interview with The Ringer, he revealed that on the last day of shooting, the emotional dam burst. “I cried a few times that day because I realized this is it, this is the last time we will ever make Jackass,” he said. “I was just extremely vulnerable. But also grateful.”
I cried a few times that day because I realized this is it, this is the last time we will ever make Jackass.Johnny Knoxville (Star and Creator)
A Victory Lap with Mixed Notices
Early reviews acknowledge the film’s epilogue-like feel. IGN notes it doesn’t reach the heights of its predecessors but stands out for its sincerity and lovingly curated history. The Guardian, meanwhile, questions whether a compilation film is necessary in the YouTube era, but concedes the crew’s specific humor — laughing at their own idiocy — still lands.
Beyond the stunts, “Jackass” has increasingly been viewed as a pure expression of American male friendship. Tremaine has said audiences connect with the crew as a tight, dysfunctional family, and Knoxville takes pride in being seen as a counterpoint to toxic masculinity. “We are highlighted as a positive example. I think that’s meaningful,” he said. As the film opens nationwide, the question lingers: can a greatest-hits reel truly close the book on a franchise that always thrived on the unexpected?
