After a century of being overlooked, a much-anticipated stunt design category is finally being introduced to 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 at the 2028 Oscars. The announcement was shared on The Academy's social media platforms, featuring images from 2022's "Everything Everywhere All at Once" and "RRR," as well as 2011's "Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol." Unfortunately, these films will not be eligible for the new award; only movies released in 2027 and onwards will qualify.
The 2028 Oscars will celebrate the 100th Academy Awards.
In a joint statement, Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang expressed, "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."
More details and the specific rules for this new category will be announced in 2027.
The introduction of an Oscar for stunt design signifies a major triumph in the prolonged and arduous struggle for recognition of stunt work in film. New categories for the Oscars are considered annually, and although a category for stunt coordination was proposed every year from 1991 to 2012, it never gained approval.The most recent addition to the Oscars was the Achievement in Casting category, which was approved last year and will debut at the 98th Academy Awards for films released in 2025.
