John Wick Director Believes Oscar Stunt Category is Inevitable, "It's Going to Happen"

The Academy Awards celebrate nearly every facet of filmmaking. Each year, Oscars are given out to actors, directors, cinematographers, editors, sound designers, costumers, and more. One category that's been absent from the history of the show, however, is stunt work. Despite practical effects and stunt work becoming increasingly more important in cinema with each passing year, there are no Oscars for Best Stunt Design, work, or anything of that nature.

One of the prominent stuntmen-turned-filmmakers, however, has faith that will soon change. According to John Wick helmer Chad Stahelski, it's "inevitable" for the Academy to add stunt awards.

"In truth, from what research I've done, is that the conversation hasn't happened. No one from the Academy has sat down at a big table with a contingent from the stunt world and sorted it out," Stahelski said in a recent chat with ComicBookMovie. "I mean, we're not just talking about an American stunt team, we're talking about a global network of stunt performers, and international films from all over the world. That's a lot of people."

Stahelski added that he's taken it upon himself to begin setting meetings with those as the Academy in hopes to fanning the flames needed to get stuntwork recognized at the annual awards gala.

"I think, for the first time, we've made real movement forward to making this happen. I think it's something that can happen as soon as, you know, the next Oscars, or at least the one after that, at the latest, the next three or four years," the director continued. "For the last three months, we've been talking to members of the Academy, getting this mechanisation, this huge machine up and running to have these discussions and again, to be open and fair about both sides. Both sides have been incredibly positive. There is no one that we've met so far that thinks antagonistically to this, like everybody on both sides wants this to happen."

Ballerina hits theaters on June 7th, 2024 while John Wick: Chapter 4 is now available for purchase wherever movies are sold ahead of its streaming debut later this year. The first three films in the franchise are streaming on Tubi.