After a century of being overlooked, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has finally introduced a long-awaited category for stunt design at the Oscars. The Board of Governors 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 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, making the introduction of this category even more significant. Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang expressed their enthusiasm in a joint statement, saying, "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 addition of an Oscar for stunt design is a major milestone in the ongoing struggle for recognition of stunt work in film. New categories for the Oscars are considered annually, and although a stunt coordination category was proposed every year from 1991 to 2012, it never gained approval.
The most recent new category added to the Oscars was Achievement in Casting, approved last year and set to debut at the 98th Academy Awards for films released in 2025.
