For years, film fans have wanted the Oscars to add a category for Best Stunts and now it’s finally happening, but people will have to wait a little longer to see someone win it. Today, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced a competitive Achievement in Stunt Design award, which will first be handed out at the 100th Oscars. That ceremony will take place in 2028, recognizing films released in 2027. The Academy will unveil the “rules for eligibility and voting” in the category in 2027. In a statement, Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy president Janet Yang expressed enthusiasm for the award.
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“Since the early days of cinema, stunt design has been an integral part of filmmaking,” the statement reads. “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.”
Film industry professionals have long pushed for a Best Stunts Oscar. At the forefront of the campaign was John Wick director Chad Stahelski, who advocated for the category on multiple occasions. While promoting 2023’s John Wick: Chapter 4, he said such an Oscar would be a “no-brainer.” Stahelski had conversations with Academy members about the category, saying they were in favor of it.
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Last summer, Kramer said the Academy was exploring the “possibility” of adding a stunts category. A couple of months later, Deadpool & Wolverine star Ryan Reynolds voiced his support for a stunts Oscar, using it as an opportunity to highlight the terrific work of the film’s stunt crew.
Most cinephiles would agree this Oscar is well overdue. Given how important stunts have been to movies for decades, there should have been a stunts category added years ago. Other awards bodies have recognized stunt work (the Screen Actors Guild has the Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture category), so it’s bewildering that it took the Oscars so long to follow suit. Beloved action films in blockbuster franchises like Mission: Impossible, John Wick, and more would not be possible without the incredible achievements of their stunt departments, so it’s only right that those people will now be recognized. Stunt crews are the unsung heroes of many studio tentpoles and now they’ll have their moment in the spotlight.
It will be interesting to learn the specifics of the Stunt Design award, most notably who will be eligible to receive the trophy. Films have multiple credited stunt coordinators and performers, so the Academy will have to spend the next couple of years nailing those details down. One route they could take is giving Oscars to the coordinator (or coordinators) who choreographed the stunt, as well as the one who actually performed it on camera. It’ll also be fascinating to see if the Academy opts to recognize a movie’s collective body of work or if the studio will have to submit individual sequences for consideration (similar to Best Song). Regardless of how it pans out, it’ll be great to see the stunt community celebrate their first Oscar in a few years.
