The Big Picture

  • Johnny Knoxville takes on a new role in Sweet Dreams, showing a different side to his talent beyond his stunt comedy persona.
  • The film follows Morris, an alcoholic in rehab, coaching a softball team of recovering addicts for a chance at redemption.
  • Sweet Dreams boasts a star-studded cast including Kate Upton, Jay Mohr, and more, directed by Lije Sarki.

Johnny Knoxville is best known for his death-defying, painful stunts throughout the Jackass series. But he is ready to take on a different type of role in the newly released trailer for Paramount Pictures' Sweet Dreams, a comedy-drama film following the journey of a alcoholic man who enters rehab. The film will be released in theaters and digital this April.

The film stars Knoxville as Morris, a problematic alcoholic who finds himself at the Sweet Dreams recovery center. While in rehab, Morris struggles to confront the wreckage of his life. But when their rehab facility's house goes up for auction, he reluctantly agrees to coach their misfit softball team of recovering addicts to win a cash prize and prove that everyone, despite their past, can hit a home run. "I'm going to need you to contribute, be an asset, and teach these guys something," Morris is told in the trailer. While the trailer depicts Morris' problems with alcohol, it soon becomes clear that he is a talented softball player. As his rehab center eventually enters a softball tournament with an $80,000 prize, Morris attempts to save the house and also give those living inside it a second chance.

Beyond Knoxville, Sweet Dreams also stars Kate Upton, Jay Mohr, Mo Amer, GaTa, Bobby Lee, Theo Von, Brian Van Holt, Jonnie Park, Shakewell, Adam Faison, Erik Anthony Gonzalez, and Beth Grant. The film is directed and produced by Lije Sarki from a self-written script. Sarki is best known for producing the 2019 indie hit The Peanut Butter Falcon, starring Shia LaBeouf, Zach Gottsagen, and Dakota Johnson.

'Sweet Dreams' is a New Type of Role for Knoxville

While Sweet Dreams does have comedic elements, it marks a rarely seen side of Knoxville. While he has been featured in a number of films, it was his starring role on the stunt comedy show Jackass that brought Knoxville worldwide fame. First premiering in 2000, the show featured Knoxville and other members of the Jackass group performing painful stunts and pranks on each other.

The Jackass franchise has become wildly successful, spawning numerous feature-length films starring Knoxville, with the latest being Jackass 4.5 in 2022. However, Knoxville has acknowledged that while Sweet Dreams is a different type of film for him, the process was an emotional one for many of the people working on it. "One of the great things about this movie is that a lot of the actors and a good portion of the crew are all recovering addicts," Knoxville told People. "They fought the dragon, got it under control and now are living their lives."

Sweet Dreams will be released in theaters in the U.S. on April 12 and on digital on April 16.