It's long overdue, but the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have confirmed today that the Oscars will recognise stunts with a new category.
The "Academy Award for Achievement in Stunt Design" will begin with the 100th Academy Awards in 2027. It's a fitting time to start recognising a crucial element of filmmaking that's been part of countless Hollywood movies - blockbusters or otherwise - for as long as the Oscars have been a thing.
"Since the early days of cinema, stunt design has been an integral part of filmmaking," Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy president Janet Yang said today. "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."
Eligibility and voting rules will be announced in 2027, and this comes after several filmmakers have pushed the Academy to start acknowledging the importance of stunts.
Among them is John Wick, Deadpool, and The Fall Guy director David Leitch. "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," the filmmaker has told Deadline.
"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.
The last new award category created was "Achievement in Casting," which was established in 2024.
Crucially, this is likely to be a game-changer for superhero movies. While they frequently pick up the odd award in technical categories, it's hard to believe a movie like Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings wouldn't have walked away with an Oscar a few years ago.
In the promotional image shared by the Academy, there's no sign of any superheroes, but we'd bet on a Marvel or DC title making the cut when 2027 rolls around.