Oscars to Introduce Best Stunt Design Award

After a century of being overlooked, the film industry is set to celebrate the artistry of stunt design with a dedicated category at 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 introduced starting with the 2028 Oscars. This exciting news was shared through The Academy's social media channels, 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."

Sadly, these films won't be eligible for the new award, as only movies released in 2027 and onwards will qualify. The 2028 Oscars will also be a historic event, marking 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."

Further details and the rules for the new category will be announced in 2027.

The introduction of an Oscar for stunt design is a landmark achievement in the long and arduous fight for recognition of stunt work in the film industry. The Oscars typically consider new categories only once a year, and a previous proposal for a stunt coordination category was repeatedly rejected from 1991 to 2012.

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.