Oscars Introduce Best Stunt Design Award

After a century of being overlooked, the Oscars are finally set to include a long-awaited category for stunt design. 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 through The Academy's social media channels, highlighting 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 films won't be eligible for the new award, as only movies released in 2027 and beyond will qualify.

The 2028 Oscars will be a historic event, marking the 100th Academy Awards. Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang expressed their pride in a joint statement, saying, "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 regarding the new category will be released in 2027.

The introduction of an Oscar for stunt design represents a major milestone in the ongoing struggle for recognition of stunt work in film. The Oscars typically consider new categories only once a year, and a category for stunt coordination was proposed annually from 1991 to 2012 but never gained approval. The most recent addition to the Oscars was the Achievement in Casting category, approved last year, which will debut at the 98th Academy Awards for films released in 2025.