Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

‘Jackass Forever’ laughs its way to No. 1 at box office

“Jackass Forever,” the fourth movie in the anarchic stunt and prank series, earned $23.5 million in ticket sales in its first weekend in theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday

Via AP news wire
Sunday 06 February 2022 11:29 EST
Film Review - Jackass Forever
Film Review - Jackass Forever (© 2021 PARAMOUNT PICTURES. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Not even a global pandemic or a 12-year hiatus could stop the Jackass guys at the box office. “Jackass Forever,” the fourth movie in the anarchic series earned $23.5 million in ticket sales in its first weekend in theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday.

It not only exceeded expectations but also easily bested its other main competitors, the big budget sci-fi spectacle “Moonfall” and “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” which has 6 of its 8 weeks in theaters at No. 1.

“ Jackass Forever ” brings back Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O Chris Pontius and Wee Man for another round of pranks, stunts and injuries and has become the best-reviewed in the series. Playing on 3,604 screens in North America “Jackass Forever” is on the lower end of “Jackass” openings, above only the first, which made $22.8 million in its opening weekend in 2002. The biggest opening of the series was the last one, “Jackass 3D’s” $50 million debut in 2010. But, costing only $10 million to produce, “Jackass Forever” is already a clear success for Paramount The studio was predicting a launch in the mid-teens.

Men accounted for 68% of the R-rated “Jackass Forever” audience, which was 67% between the ages of 18 and 34.

“Moonfall,” meanwhile, which cost around $140 million to produce, is not doing well stateside. Lionsgate estimated the film's opening weekend grosses to be just over $10 million, which was in line with its projections. Directed by Roland Emmerich and starring Halle Berry and Patrick Wilson, “Moonfall" was not well-received by critics. The disaster pic about a possible collision between the moon and the Earth holds a 40% on Rotten Tomatoes. Like “Jackass," its audience was also mostly male (60%).

“Moonfall” was made and financed independently through Emmerich’s Centropolis Entertainment and foreign deals and, like many big budget disaster pics of this ilk, is supposed to earn most of its money internationally. Lionsgate only oversaw distribution in North America.

“Spider-Man: No Way Home” took in an additional $9.6 million in its eighth weekend in North American theaters, bringing its domestic total to $748.9 million. Globally, its earnings total $1.77 billion.

—-

Follow AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ldbahr

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in