Oscars Introduce New Best Stunt Design Award

A century after being overlooked, a highly anticipated stunt design category is finally making its debut 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 with the 2028 Oscars. The announcement was shared via the Academy's social media channels, featuring visuals from 2022’s Everything Everywhere All at Once, RRR, and 2011’s Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol. However, these films won’t be eligible for the award, as only movies released during 2027 will qualify for this new accolade. The 2028 Oscars will celebrate the 100th Academy Awards.

In a joint statement, Academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang expressed pride in recognizing the groundbreaking contributions of stunt designers. “Since the inception of cinema, stunt design has been a vital component of filmmaking,” they noted. “We are thrilled to honor the creativity and technical expertise of these artists who have played such an important role in cinematic history.”

Details regarding the new category’s rules will be revealed in 2027.

This milestone marks a monumental win for stunt professionals, who have long advocated for acknowledgment of their craft. Historically, proposals for a stunt coordination category were brought forward annually between 1991 and 2012 but failed to gain traction. The most recent new category introduced was Achievement in Casting, which was approved last year and will debut at the 98th Academy Awards for films released in 2025.