Oscars Introduce New Best Stunt Design Category for 2027

A new category for stunts will be introduced at the Oscars.

Today, the Board of Governors at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences declared the establishment of a new yearly competitive Oscar category recognizing Excellence in Stunt Coordination, which will debut during the 100th Academy Awards ceremony honoring movies from 2027.

Director and producer David Leitch, known for works like \”The Fall Guy,\” \”Bullet Train,\” and \”Deadpool 2,\” spearheaded an effort on behalf of the stunt industry to establish a new official Oscar category. Having begun his career as a stunt performer and coordinator before transitioning into direction, along with co-founding his production company 87North Productions alongside Kelly McCormick, Leitch collaborated with stunt coordinator and designer Chris O\’Hara from Stunts Unlimited and others. They presented multiple proposals to the Academy, which resulted in the Board of Governors giving their approval for this new award category earlier today.

From the inception of motion pictures, stunt designing has played a crucial role in film production,\” stated Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang. \”It gives us great pleasure to recognize the groundbreaking contributions of these skilled technicians and creatives, and we extend our congratulations to them for their unwavering commitment and passion as they reach this significant milestone.

The guidelines for qualification and voting for the first-time award will be disclosed in 2027 alongside the full set of regulations for the 100th Academy Awards. Details regarding how the new award will be presented will be established by the Academy’s Board of Governors and executive leaders at a later time.

Over 100 stunt experts belong to the Academy\’s Production and Technology Branch. The most recent addition to the award categories was Achievement in Casting, which started at the 98th Academy Awards covering movies from 2025 onwards.