Oscars to Add Best Stunt Design Category

After decades-long anticipation, Hollywood finally introduces stunt design as an official Oscar category.
The Academy's Board of Governors announced today that stunt design will become an Oscar-recognized discipline starting at the 2028 ceremony. The news broke across The Academy's social channels alongside visuals from iconic stunt-heavy films like EEAAO (2022), RRR (2022), and Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011).
While these trailblazing films paved the way, only productions released in 2027 will be eligible for this inaugural honor.
The milestone coincides with the Oscars' centennial celebration in 2028.
"Stuntwork has been cinema's unsung hero since the silent film era," remarked Academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang in their joint statement. "We're thrilled to finally celebrate these artists' groundbreaking contributions after their decades of extraordinary artistry."
Detailed category specifications will be released closer to eligibility year in 2027.
This historic decision ends Hollywood's longest-running awards campaign for stunt professionals. The Academy only considers new categories once annually during a special vote. Between 1991-2012, stunt coordination proposals came up empty-handed yearly despite persistent efforts.
The stunt category follows last year's introduction of Achievement in Casting, which debuts at the 98th Oscars honoring 2025 releases.