Oscars to Finally Add Best Stunt Design Award

After a century of being overlooked, the Oscars are set to introduce a long-awaited category for stunt design. 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 made via The Academy's social media platforms, featuring images from films like 2022's "Everything Everywhere All at Once" and "RRR," as well as 2011's "Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol." However, these films will not be eligible for the new award; only movies released in 2027 will be considered.

The 2028 Oscars will be a historic event, marking the 100th Academy Awards. 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 the specific rules for the new category will be released in 2027. The introduction of an Oscar for stunt design represents a significant victory after a prolonged and challenging fight for recognition of stunt work in the film industry. New categories for the Oscars are typically voted on once a year, and previous attempts to introduce a stunt coordination category from 1991 to 2012 were unsuccessful.

The most recent addition to the Oscars was the Achievement in Casting category, approved last year and set to begin with the 98th Academy Awards for films released in 2025.