The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (AMPAS) announced on Thursday that it will finally include a “Best Stunt Design” category for the Academy Awards telecast.
The long-overdue category will be making its debut in 2028 in time for the 100th annual Academy Awards for films released in 2027. This marks the second new category since the inception of Best Animated Feature Film in 2001 and Best Casting in 2024. Director and producer David Leitch (The Fall Guy) spearheaded the effort for the Academy to finally recognizing achievements in stunt coordination – a staple of the entertainment industry going back to the silent film era that Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy president Janet Yang recognized in their announcement on Thursday.
“Since the early days of cinema, stunt design has been an integral part of filmmaking,” said the duo. “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.”
Leitch echoed their sentiments in a statement of his own.
“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,” he said.
“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,” he added.
According to Variety, “category rules for eligibility and voting for the inaugural award will be announced in 2027 with the complete 100th Academy Awards Rules. The specifics of the award’s presentation will be determined by the Academy’s Board of Governors and executive leadership at a future date.”
“More than 100 stunt professionals are members of the Academy’s production and technology branch. The last new award category created was achievement in casting, established in 2024. It will begin with next year’s 98th Academy Awards for films released in 2025,” it added.
The push to recognize stunt work in the industry had been ongoing for several years and finally gained steam with industry insiders come 2024 when the Academy recognized Best Casting before stunt. Speaking with Variety in 2023, Chad Stahelski, the director of the John Wick movies, said that he and several others in the Hollywood stunt community petitioned hard for the category to finally have its debut.
“We’ve been meeting with members of the Academy and actually having these conversations, and, to be honest, it’s been nothing but incredibly positive, incredibly instructional,” Stahelski said at the time. “I think, for the first time, we’ve made real movement forward to making this happen.”
From The General to Ben Hur to Bullit to The French Connection to Raiders of the Lost Ark to Terminator 2 to Mission Impossible, achievements in stunt coordination have been a continually evolving craft within the cinematic art form, without which the world would not have some of the most thrilling in-camera action sequences in movie history.
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