For the first time in its history, the Academy Awards will officially honor stunt work with a dedicated Oscar category.
The new award for Achievement in Stunt Design will debut at the 100th Oscars in 2028, recognizing stunt teams and professionals whose work appears in films released in 2027.
This long-anticipated move highlights the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ commitment to recognizing the creative and technical contributions of stunt performers, coordinators, and designers—whose work often goes unnoticed during awards season despite being central to some of the most iconic scenes in film.
Academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang called stunt work an integral part of filmmaking, noting that over 100 stunt professionals are already members of the Academy’s Production and Technology Branch. With this new category, the Academy aims to celebrate the skill, precision, and storytelling that goes into crafting action sequences.
The criteria for the award and the format for its presentation will be announced closer to the 2028 ceremony. The addition of this category follows another recent milestone: the introduction of the Achievement in Casting Oscar, which will premiere at the 98th Academy Awards in 2026.
Together, these additions reflect the Academy’s evolving focus on recognizing the full spectrum of talent behind the scenes.
