The Oscars are finally recognizing ‘unsung heroes’ with the announcement of a brand new category

The Oscars have announced the rollout of a brand new category starting from 2028, after years of campaigning for an unsung group to finally be recognized at the awards ceremony.

Yep, in welcome news for legions of action film buffs, the Oscars have finally confirmed that they will recognize stunts for the first time, unveiling a new category for achievement in stunt design on Thursday. The category will come into effect in 2028, which will mark the Oscars’ 100th edition, and will award stunt trophies for films released the year prior. Announcing the category in a joint statement on Thursday, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences CEO Bill Kramer and president Janet Yang said “stunt design has been an integral part of film-making.”

Stunts have always been part of the magic of movies. Now, they’re part of the Oscars.

The Academy has created a new annual award for Achievement in Stunt Design—beginning with the 100th Oscars in 2028, honoring films released in 2027. pic.twitter.com/lpHen9Qk9l

— The Academy (@TheAcademy) April 10, 2025

“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,” they added. Category rules around eligibility and voting for the stunt design award will be announced in 2027, and while that’s still some way off, the Academy’s recent move is nonetheless a big win for those who’ve long campaigned for the inclusion of stunts. One such campaigner was David Leitch, who directed the 2024 film The Fall Guy, which was itself an ode to stunt performers. 

Leitch — who began his career as stuntman for Brad Pitt before helming stunt-heavy films like John Wick — helped lead the charge for the category’s inclusion by making presentations to the Academy advocating for the addition of a new award. The director was among those to respond to the news, saying in a statement to Variety that “stunts are essential to every genre of film” and adding that the new category is the result of those “who’ve fought tirelessly for recognition over the decades.” Leitch is far from the only one to have advocated for stunts to be recognized by the Academy. 

Stunt work doesn’t have a category at The Oscars and I hope that’ll change someday. So many films have smashed it this year. Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd and Chaplin were stunt performers as well as filmmakers. Telling stories with their entire bodies.

This D&W stunt team… pic.twitter.com/19qfdKJew4

— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) August 28, 2024

Chris Hemsworth — who is known for his stunt-heavy films like Thor and Extraction — said last year that he was “shocked it’s even still a conversation” and called stunt performers “the unsung heroes.” For his part, The Meg and The Expendables star Jason Statham said stunts are the Oscars’ “overlooked category,” describng its exclusion from the ceremony as “a total injustice” since stunt performers “are the ones getting busy.” Elsewhere, Keanu Reeves, Ryan Reynolds, and Winston Duke have also called on the Academy to include stunts over the years. 

While it’s welcome news, it’s still proof that the Academy is somewhat behind the eight ball in terms of its categories. The Emmys introduced its Outstanding Stunt Performance award back in 2021, while the Screen Actors Guild awards have recognized stunts since 2008. News of the Oscars’ new category comes just over a year after the Academy announced yet another additional category, revealing it would recognize achievement in casting in films released throughout 2025. While I’m no advocate for elongating a ceremony that already feels like it stretches for eternity, I’m willing to make an exception for the criminally overlooked feats in stunts and casting.