Oscars to Introduce Best Stunt Design Award

After a century of being overlooked, the film industry is set to celebrate a major milestone with the introduction of a new stunt design 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 awarded starting from the 2028 Oscars. This exciting news was shared through The Academy's social media platforms, featuring images from acclaimed films like 2022's "Everything Everywhere All at Once" and "RRR," as well as 2011's "Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol."

Sadly, these films won't be eligible for the new award, as only movies released in 2027 and onwards will qualify. The 2028 Oscars will also mark a historic moment as the 100th Academy Awards.

In a joint statement, Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang emphasized the significance of this addition, 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 the specific rules for the new category will be announced in 2027.

The introduction of an Oscar for stunt design is a landmark achievement in the ongoing struggle for recognition of stunt work in cinema. The Oscars typically consider new categories only once a year, and despite annual proposals for a stunt coordination category from 1991 to 2012, none were successful until now.

The most recent addition to the Oscars was the Achievement in Casting category, approved last year and set to begin at the 98th Academy Awards for films released in 2025.