After a century of being overlooked, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced a groundbreaking addition to the Oscars: a category for achievement in stunt design. The Board of Governors confirmed that this new Academy Award will be introduced at the 2028 Oscars, marking the 100th Academy Awards ceremony.
The announcement, shared via The Academy's social media, featured images from notable films like 2022's "Everything Everywhere All at Once" and "RRR," as well as 2011's "Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol." However, these films will not be eligible for the new award, as only movies released in 2027 and beyond will qualify.
In a joint statement, Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang emphasized the significance of stunt design in cinema, 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 disclosed in 2027.
The introduction of an Oscar for stunt design is a major milestone in the long and arduous campaign for recognition of stunt work in film. The Oscars consider new categories annually, and while a stunt coordination category was proposed every year from 1991 to 2012, it was never approved. The most recent addition to the Oscars was the Achievement in Casting category, approved last year and set to debut at the 98th Academy Awards for films released in 2025.
