The Oscars are officially adding a long-awaited category dedicated to stunt work, a milestone that stunt professionals have advocated for over many years.

On Thursday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Board of Governors announced the introduction of a competitive Academy Award for Achievement in Stunt Design. This new category will debut at the 100th Academy Awards, honoring films released in 2027.

“Since the early days of cinema, stunt design has been an integral part of filmmaking,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer said in a statement with Academy president Janet Yang. “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.”

Details regarding eligibility and voting procedures for the inaugural award will be outlined in the full 100th Academy Awards Rules, set to be published in 2027. The format and presentation of the award will be decided later by the Academy’s executive leadership and Board of Governors.

Efforts to recognize stunt work with its own Oscar have been ongoing for decades, though previous attempts met resistance. Notably, filmmaker and former stuntman David Leitch — known for directing ‘Deadpool 2’ and co-creating ‘John Wick’ —has been a strong advocate for the category. While the Academy has honored stunt professionals in the past with special awards such as Hal Needham in 2013 and Yakima Canutt with an honorary Oscar in 1967, this marks the first time stunt design will be part of the official annual awards.

Over 100 stunt professionals are currently members of the Academy’s Production and Technology Branch.

This is the first new Oscar category introduced since the Achievement in Casting award, which was established in 2024 and will debut at the 98th Academy Awards for films released this year.

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