After years, and years of campaigning, the Oscars will finally be adding a Best Stunt Design Category. It was announced by the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences will have the award category commence as a new and regular award at the Oscars, commencing from 2028, for films released in 2027. Aligning with 100th Academy awards.
David Leitch, director of Bullet Train, Deadpool 2, and most recently The Fall Guy, led the initiative for the stunt community to be included at the Oscars. The Fall Guy in particular serving as a love letter to the stunt industry and a plea to the academy to recognise stunts. Read what David Leitch had to say about it on his post to Instagram below!
Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang had this to say “Since the early days of cinema, stunt design has been an integral part of filmmaking (…) We are proud to honour the innovative work of these technical and creative artists, and we congratulate them for their commitment and dedication in reaching this momentous occasion.”
Several notable stunts icons came out to praise this decision, one of which was John Wicks, Chad Stahelski “It’s humbling, and we feel very honoured to be honoured where some of the best in the industry go.”. The President of the Stuntmen’s Association Jeff Wolfe said “I can’t express enough how thrilled and proud we are to see the Academy recognize the art and craft of stunt action design with its own Oscar category. This is a historic moment for our community. For decades, stunt performers, coordinators, and action designers have played a crucial role in shaping the cinematic experience, often putting their bodies on the line to bring unforgettable moments to the screen. This recognition validates the passion, innovation, creativity and hard work that go into every fall, fight, and fireball. It’s not just a win for our industry — it’s a win for storytelling.”Looks like 2027 is going to be the year of crazy stunts now that the category has been added to the Oscars, there will no doubt be a race to see whom can grab the very first Oscar for Stunt Design. Man, 2027 is going to be a great year for action films!
