Oscars Add Best Stunt Design Category Starting in 2027

A stunt design category is coming to the Oscars.

via: The Guardian

Best stunt design will be a new category at the Academy Awards’ 100th ceremony in 2028, which will recognise films released in 2027, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said on Thursday.

“Since the early days of cinema, stunt design has been an integral part of film-making,” the Academy’s CEO, Bill Kramer, and president, Janet Yang, said in a joint statement. “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.”

David Leitch, who directed the 2024 film The Fall Guy, which was itself an ode to stunt performers, helped lead the charge for the new prize. Leitch began his career as a stuntman for stars such as Brad Pitt before transitioning to making stunt-heavy films like John Wick. He and stuntman turned stunt coordinator Chris O’Hara of Stunts Unlimited made presentations to the Academy advocating for the addition of a new award.

“Stunts are essential to every genre of film and rooted deep in our industry’s history –from the groundbreaking work of early pioneers like Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd and Charlie Chaplin, to the inspiring artistry of today’s stunt designers, coordinators, performers and choreographers,” Leitch said in a statement to Variety.

“This has been a long journey for so many of us. Chris O’Hara and I have spent years working to bring this moment to life, standing on the shoulders of the stunt professionals who’ve fought tirelessly for recognition over the decades. We are incredibly grateful. Thank you, Academy.”

Stunt performers have called for their own category for decades, but stunt coordinators – those who plan and choreograph stunts – is a relatively new profession.

Chad Stahelski, who directed John Wick 4 and was Keanu Reeves’ stunt double in The Matrix, told Deadline that the Academy should be admired “for really putting in the time” to figure out how the category will work.

“None of us [in the industry] would be here if it wasn’t for the last 100 years of stunt people,” he said. “We’ve come a long way because a lot of other people have sacrificed a lot. So, it’s pretty cool to be here and be at the apex of an entire century of performers and coordinators and action directors. And it’s a shame that a lot of them won’t get to see where it all went to.”

“I give a lot of credit to the Academy for doing it right,” he added, saying many in the industry had been consulted. “They took their time … they wanted to know how to give the award, who to give it to, how do we select it and they really did their homework.”

Some actors have also called for their stunt doubles to be recognised at the Oscars. Last year actor Chris Hemsworth told IGN he was “shocked it’s even still a conversation”, calling stunt performers “the unsung heroes”. Jason Statham has called it the Oscars’ “overlooked category”, scorning “poncy actors” who were eligible for awards for “standing in front of a fucking green screen screwing his face up pretending like he’s doing the stunt … It’s a total injustice.”

Category rules around eligibility and voting for the stunt design award will be announced in 2027.

The Academy’s production and technology branch has more than 100 stunt performers among its ranks.

The Oscars are late to recognising excellence in stunts: the Emmys have awards for stunt coordination and stunt performance, while the Screen Actors Guild awards recognise stunt ensembles in TV and film.

The Oscars also recently added a prize for achievement in casting, starting with films released in 2025.