Ladies and gentlemen, it finally happened. The Hollywood Reporter confirms today that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will establish a Stunt Design Oscar, which will start being presented at the 100th Academy Awards in 2028.
Many academy members and film fans have been clamoring for something like this to happen for years, with films like The Fall Guy (2024) being among the biggest recent champions for implementing the award.
“Since the early days of cinema, stunt design has been an integral part of filmmaking,” said Academy CEO Bill Kramerand president Janet Yang in a statement about the award. “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.”
Currently, more than 100 stunt professionals are part of the Academy itself. The push for the award is mainly led by David Leitch (Director of The Fall Guy) and many of the stunt coordinators who have made recent action films such as Love Hurts (2025) and Bullet Train (2022) under his production company 87 North.
Leitch has also stated in response to the news, “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. 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.”
The new stunt category joins the new Achievement in Casting, which is set to start presenting at next year’s Academy Awards. More details on what is eligible and how voting will work for stunt design will be shared in 2027 as a part of the 100th Academy Awards rules. The Academy’s Board of Governors is said to share more details at a future date.
Sources: The Academy & The Hollywood Reporter
Update courtesy of Joshua Mbonu
Feature Image Credit to Universal Pictures via People.com Magazine; Still from ‘The Fall Guy’ (2024)