Oscars Unveil New Best Stunt Design Award

After a century of being overlooked, the Oscars are set to introduce a long-awaited stunt design category. The Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has officially announced that the Academy Award for achievement in stunt design will be awarded starting from the 2028 Oscars. The announcement, shared on The Academy's social media, featured images from notable films such as 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 celebrate the 100th Academy Awards, marking a historic milestone. 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 regarding the new category will be announced in 2027.

The introduction of an Oscar for stunt design is a significant achievement in the ongoing struggle for recognition of stunt work in film. The Oscars consider new categories annually, and a stunt coordination category was proposed every year from 1991 to 2012 without success. The most recent addition to the Oscars was the Achievement in Casting award, approved last year, which will be awarded starting with the 98th Academy Awards for films released in 2025.