Bam Margera's Legal Drama With Johnny Knoxville Takes An Unexpected Turn

With the distinct opening guitar riff of "Corona" by the Minutemen, a different type of reality show entered the new millennium. "Jackass" debuted on MTV in 2000 with the simple premise of watching grown men hit each other, perform stunts, and any other type of physical comedy just for laughs. A defining show of the early aughts, the series ran for three seasons at the helm of co-creator and leader Johnny Knoxville, per IMDb. The supporting cast also became stars, which spawned multiple spin-off series. "Wildboyz" starred Chris Pontius and Steve-O traveling around the world and produced even more episodes than "Jackass." Meanwhile, cameras followed skateboarder Bam Margera and his wild antics for five seasons of "Viva La Bam." Margera also had his own miniseries, "Bam's Unholy Union," which followed the lead up to his wedding to fiancé Missy. 

More than just goofing around on TV, all the characters used big-budget studio money to take their pranks to the big screen. "Jackass: The Movie" premiered in 2002, followed by multiple sequels culminating in the 2010 film "Jackass: 3D." Eventually, it appeared the guys were aging out of pranks and social norms were evolving, perhaps ending the franchise. Especially after one of the main members of the crew, Ryan Dunn, died in a 2011 drunk driving accident. 

Then, a gray-haired Johnny Knoxville announced the gang was returning for a final movie, "Jackass Forever." Margera, who was slated to be in the film but was eventually cut, subsequently sued Knoxville, per Variety.

While "Jackass Forever" hit theaters, a franchise all about buddies was soured by a lawsuit from Bam Margera. Then, in March, Margera surprisingly dismissed the case — which was likely settled outside of court, according to TMZ. To get to this point, Margera was scheduled to be in "Jackass Forever" but the gang had to pause production due to COVID-19 restrictions, per Variety. Once filming resumed, Johnny Knoxville wanted to make sure the cast was ready to perform. Given his previous stints in rehab, part of Margera's contract was to remain sober during production and to enter rehab for 90 days. After failing to stay clean by testing positive for using Adderall, Margera was kicked off the film, TMZ reported.

According to Margera, he believed producers Spike Jonze and Jeff Tremaine, MTV, Paramount Pictures, and Knoxville all pressured him into signing a contract with components tied to his health. Margera claimed he was prescribed the Adderall and the decision to terminate the movie contract was "discriminatory," per TMZ.

As for Knoxville's side of the story, he revealed that kicking Margera off the team was a difficult decision. "We wanted him all throughout the movie, but unfortunately that's not the way it worked out," Knoxville told Variety. "It's really heartbreaking. I love Bam. We all love Bam. He's our brother," the "Jackass" ringleader added about the situation. After all the drama, Knoxville said he hoped Margera could "get the help that he needs."