There was a time not all that long ago when we thought that movie productions were going to move along at more or less a normal pace. And that when movies were done, they may actually get released as planned. We've seen a few "tentpole" movies get a chance to debut, and some of them even in theaters. However, studios are clearly far from confident about releasing movies in the near future, as we've seen movies planned for this far get delayed yet again. The latest movie to get pushed is Jackass Forever, and Steve-O responded to rumors that the delay occurred due to the lawsuit posed by Bam Margera.
While Paramount Pictures has blamed rising covid cases for the recent decision to move Jackass Forever from a release next month to a release next February, some have wondered if there wasn't more going on here. Former cast member Bam Margera has filed a lawsuit against several people involved in the production of Jackass Forever, and fans are wondering if it is actually the lawsuit causing the delay.
That's absolutely not the case according to Jackass cast member Steve-O, who recently spoke to TMZ and assured them that it was strictly Covid, and not the lawsuit, causing delays. Steve-O is giving the lawsuit exactly zero credit for anything, as he calls the whole thing absurd. According to Steve-O...
A lot of people speculate that it was because of Bam and his lawsuit, but no, it's just because of Covid. The comfort level for the public to go to movie theaters has dropped down. I tell you this man, I love Bam. I have no idea how he managed to get anybody to file a lawsuit. I've read it, and it's just absurd. I mean it's literally absurd... I shouldn't even say what I said, but I can tell you that the lawsuit is absurd.
Bam Margera filed a lawsuit in early August claiming discrimination and inhumane treatment at the hands of several people involved in the production of the Jackass films. Johnny Knoxville and Spike Jonze are among those named in the suit. Margera was apparently fired from Jackass 4 early on due to not abiding by the rues of wellness agreement he had signed. Margera claims he was forced into signing the agreement, and that the drug test that got him fired, where he tested positive for Adderall, was something he had been prescribed for years.
Technically, Bam Margera's lawsuit does ask for the release of Jackass Forever to be blocked, but if any ruling had been made in that regard it's unclear why it wouldn't be public. It's also unclear why Paramount would make that call because of the lawsuit without being forced by a court.
Jackass Forever isn't the only movie planned for the coming months to be delayed. Paramount also pushed back the next Mission: Impossible movie and the Top Gun sequel, so it seems likely that the covid explanation in accurate.
