Tony Hawk stepped up for Bam Margera to return to the Pro Skater video game series.
The former Jackass star appeared in the skateboarding game franchise from 2001 to 2007, but fans weren’t sure if Margera would be included in the upcoming Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4. Given Margera’s legal troubles and substance abuse issues, many thought he might be left out, something Rodger Bagley mentioned during his livestream, The Live Club.
Last August, the 45-year-old Margera pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct after assaulting his brother Jessie and threatening family members at their Pennsylvania home. A month later, he was arrested on suspected DUI charges and ordered to complete a 28-day rehab program after his release from jail in Fulton County, Pennsylvania.
But according to Bagley, despite Activision’s concerns about Margera’s legal and addiction issues, Hawk insisted on his inclusion.
“The game was already done. Tony called up Activision and was like, ‘Hey, we’re putting Bam in the thing,’ and they were like ‘Hey, we can’t,'” Bagley explained around the 20-minute mark of his video. “He goes, ‘No, you’re gonna do it,’ and basically made them fly Bam back out there to get body-scanned and everything else, and get him back in the game.”
TMZ reports Hawk met with Margera earlier this month to discuss his sobriety progress, and as Bagley mentioned, had Margera’s moves recorded in a motion-capture suit for the upcoming game.
Without official confirmation from either Hawk or Margera, fans won’t know if the stunt skater actually made it into the game until its July 11 release.
