Oscars Adds Best Stunt Design Award

After a century of being overlooked, the film industry is set to celebrate stunt design with a dedicated category at the Oscars. The Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has officially announced that an Academy Award for achievement in stunt design will be introduced starting with the 2028 Oscars. This exciting news was shared via The Academy's social media, featuring iconic stunt moments from films such as 2022's "Everything Everywhere All at Once" and "RRR," as well as 2011's "Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol." However, these films won't be eligible for the new award; only movies released in 2027 and beyond will qualify.

The 2028 Oscars will also mark a historic milestone as the 100th Academy Awards. In a joint statement, Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang expressed their pride in recognizing the innovative work of stunt designers, stating, "Since the early days of cinema, stunt design has been an integral part of filmmaking. We are proud to honor the innovative work of these technical and creative artists, and we congratulate them for their commitment and dedication in reaching this momentous occasion."

Further details and rules for the new category will be announced in 2027. The introduction of this Oscar for stunt design represents a significant achievement in the long and arduous fight for recognition of stunt work in film. The Oscars typically consider new categories once a year, and while a stunt coordination category was proposed annually from 1991 to 2012 without success, the last new category added was Achievement in Casting, approved last year for the 98th Academy Awards, which will recognize films released in 2025.