File this one under “news that should have been announced decades ago,” but the Academy Awards are finally going to be giving out an award that honors the incredible stunt work that improves cinema across genres. In a press release, the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that they will be adding the “Academy Award for Achievement in Stunt Design” beginning in three years with the 100th Academy Awards ceremony, honoring films released in 2027. The category rules for eligibility and voting will be announced in 2027 with the full awards rules for the 100th ceremony, but the name of the award leads one to wonder who exactly will be honored — is this an award for stunt coordinators, stunt performers, or entire teams?
Advertisement
We here at Team /Film have been hoping for an award honoring stunt work for years, and it seems that some recent high-profile stunt films and outspoken creatives like “John Wick” creator and director Chad Stahelski have helped finally get the Academy to come around. While it will be a few years before we know the full scope of the award and how it will be judged and presented, it is pretty exciting that the people who put their lives on the line to entertain us will potentially be getting the most prestigious awards in all of cinema. It only took them 100 years.
Stunt awards are necessary and could give the Oscars a needed boost
In the press release, the Board of Governors elaborates that they will announce the rules for the category along with the rules for the rest of the 100th Academy Awards, noting that the last new award category added to the ceremony was for Achievement in Casting, which will be given out with the 98th Academy Awards in 2026. There are over 100 stunt professionals who are members of the Academy (as part of the Production and Technology Branch), and they will hopefully be included in conversations about the award and how eligibility will be determined.
Advertisement
The 97th Academy Awards ceremony actually paid tribute to stunt performers with a video introduced by “The Fall Guy” stars Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling that highlighted the importance of stunt performers and coordinators, so this award has probably been in the pipeline for a little while. Not only is it important to recognize the talented people who work in stunts, but a stunt award is also a way to give recognition to big fan-favorite blockbusters that might not have a shot in other categories. Getting non-movie dorks (I say that lovingly) to tune in to the Oscars can always be a bit of a challenge, and giving blockbuster cinema a little more limelight at the ceremony could help. Giving out a stunt award isn’t just the right thing to do; it’s also the smart thing to do to bring new life into the Oscars ceremony. Who knows, maybe they can even have live stunt performances at the show … it is the centennial, after all!
Advertisement
Thanks to vocal advocates like Stahelski, who said he spoke with the Academy back in 2023, and the annual Stunt Awards at Vulture proving audiences have a genuine appreciation for spotlighting stunt work, these vital professionals are finally getting their due.