Tom Hardy: One Stunt Oscar Not Sufficient for Venom

In a significant move for the film industry, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced the introduction of an Oscar for Stunt Design, set to debut at the 2028 Academy Awards. However, actor Tom Hardy, in an interview with IGN ahead of his latest film, Havoc, expressed reservations about the sufficiency of this single award category for recognizing the vast contributions of stunt performers and designers.

“One Oscar, it's a bit too little too late in some aspects. It's good, it's great and cup half full territory, but I think perhaps more is asked for,” Hardy remarked. He emphasized the complexity and diversity within the stunt department, suggesting that the term "Stunt Design" serves as an umbrella for a wide range of specialized skills and efforts. “It's not enough just stunt design because there are so many elements that go into stunts as a department,” he added, highlighting the need for recognition of various aspects such as people on horseback, car chases, high falls, fire stunts, fight choreography, underwater sequences, and skydiving.

Hardy, known for his roles in films like Venom and Mad Max: Fury Road, stressed the unsung nature of the stunt community and their critical role in enhancing the thrill of cinema and television. “That entire universe of people is unsung, and they put a lot on the line for that physically, and they're largely unspoken, but they do really put the thrill into film and TV. I've got a lot of friends in that world, so yeah, I'd like to see some subcategories in there as well,” he concluded.

Gareth Evans, the director of Havoc and known for his work on The Raid films, supported Hardy's call for more nuanced recognition. “Subcategories would be nice,” Evans stated, though he cautioned against the idea that awards should drive the craft. “I don't think awards drive the craft. I think that's the wrong reason to do it. I think it's all about expressing yourself within the parameters of what the film is that you're making. I think it's about time that it got rewarded, about time that it had some recognition, and hard to understand why it wasn't from the get-go really.”

The introduction of the Stunt Design Oscar marks a historic moment, coming a century after the first Academy Awards in 1929. While fans will have to wait until 2028 to see the first recipients of this new award, they can catch Tom Hardy in action sooner with the release of Havoc on Netflix this Friday, April 25th.