Steve-O has recalled the rare moment when every member of the Jackass crew decided a stunt was too dangerous to go ahead with.
The franchise has built its reputation on outrageous, high-risk and often stomach-churning challenges, but one planned sequence proved to be a step too far for the cast.
The story has resurfaced as fans revisit the franchise’s final theatrical chapter, Jackass: Best and Last, and look back at some of the most extreme ideas that never made it to screen.
According to Steve-O, the abandoned stunt would have put the full cast together in one setup involving an inflatable structure and a snowy run-up.
Steve-O said the stunt centered on a giant bounce house positioned on a ski slope, with the cast expected to pile in before being sent speeding downhill.
“When we were shooting Jackass 3D we went up to Northern California to film a bunch of snow stunts,” said Steve-O.
They had a big bounce house on a ski slope headed for this Olympic ski jump, and the idea was to have the whole cast in it.”
The plan would have seen everyone bouncing violently around inside the inflatable as it raced down the hill, making for the kind of chaos the series became known for.
“Even though we hated the idea of our heads clashing together in the bounce house, we probably still would have done it,” said Steve-O.
What changed their minds was a major safety issue tied to the equipment needed to keep the inflatable full of air.
“Except for the fact that there was a huge generator which kept the bounce house inflated which would have to follow behind it,” said Steve-O, “and the thing was 500 pounds.”
While the cast were apparently prepared to deal with the collisions inside the bounce house, the thought of a 500-pound generator crashing into them was another matter entirely.
“We just were not willing to have that generator land on us and crush us to death, so the whole cast backed out,” said Steve-O, “maybe the first time the whole cast backed out of a stunt ever.”
Steve-O’s comments also offered a reminder of just how much planning goes into the franchise’s most reckless moments. Even the stunts that never happen can involve heavy equipment, dangerous terrain and enough moving parts to make the crew reconsider.
The latest film has also prompted strong reactions from viewers, with some saying one sequence pushed things too far even by the franchise’s standards.
Taking to social media, one person wrote: “New Jackass has a poop bit that is probably the most disgusting thing I’ve ever seen in a movie theater.”
Another wrote: “My thoughts on the latest Jackass movie… waaaay too much fecal mater and butt stuff.
“I prefer the more ‘normal’ stunts and pranks. Plus, it felt like their hearts and broken bodies weren’t really into it anymore.”