Oscars Adds Best Stunt Design Award

After a century of being overlooked, the film industry is set to celebrate the artistry of stunt design with a new Oscar category. The Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has officially announced that starting from the 2028 Oscars, an Academy Award for Achievement in Stunt Design will be awarded. This exciting news was shared on The Academy's social media platforms, featuring iconic stunt sequences from films like 2022's "Everything Everywhere All at Once" and "RRR," as well as 2011's "Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol."

However, these acclaimed films won't be eligible for the new award, as only movies released in 2027 and onwards will qualify. The introduction of this award coincides with a significant milestone for the Academy, as the 2028 Oscars will celebrate the 100th Academy Awards.

In a joint statement, Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang expressed their enthusiasm for the new category, 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."

The detailed rules and specifics regarding the new category will be announced in 2027.

The addition of the Stunt Design Oscar represents a major milestone in the long and arduous fight for recognition of stunt work in cinema. The Oscars typically consider new categories only once a year, and a similar proposal for a Stunt Coordination category was proposed annually from 1991 to 2012 but never passed.

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