Oscars to Introduce Best Stunt Design Award

After a century of being overlooked, a much-anticipated category for stunt design is finally being introduced 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 awarded starting from the 2028 Oscars. The announcement, shared on The Academy's social media platforms, was highlighted with images from 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, as it will only apply to movies released in 2027 and onwards.

The 2028 Oscars will celebrate the 100th Academy Awards.

"Since the early days of cinema, stunt design has been an integral part of filmmaking," stated Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang in a joint statement accompanying the announcement. "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 significant milestone in the long and arduous campaign for recognition of stunt work in film. New categories for the Oscars are considered only once a year, and a category for stunt coordination was proposed annually from 1991 to 2012 but never succeeded.

The most recent new category added to the Oscars was Achievement in Casting, approved last year and set to be awarded starting with the 98th Academy Awards for films released in 2025.