After a century of being overlooked, the Oscars are finally introducing a long-awaited category for stunt design. 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. This exciting news was shared on The Academy's social media platforms, featuring images from acclaimed films such as 2022's "Everything Everywhere All at Once" and "RRR," as well as 2011's "Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol."
Sadly, these films will not 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.
In a joint statement, Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang expressed their enthusiasm, 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 announced 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. New categories for the Oscars are considered 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, which will be awarded starting with the 98th Academy Awards for films released in 2025.
