Oscars Adds Best Stunt Design Award

After a century of being overlooked, a long-awaited stunt design category is finally being added to the Oscars.

The Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has today announced that an Academy Award for achievement in stunt design will officially be awarded starting from the 2028 Oscars. The announcement was shared via The Academy’s social media platforms, accompanied by images from 2022’s "Everything Everywhere All at Once" and "RRR," as well as 2011’s "Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol."

Regrettably for these films, only movies released in 2027 and beyond will be eligible for this new accolade.

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 released with 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 the rules for the new category will be announced in 2027.

The introduction of an Oscar for stunt design represents a significant triumph in the long and arduous fight for recognition of stunt work in film. New categories for the Oscars are considered only once a year. Previously, a category for stunt coordination was proposed annually from 1991 to 2012, but it never gained approval.

The most recent new award category created for the Oscars was Achievement in Casting, which was approved last year and will debut at the 98th Academy Awards for films released in 2025.