After a few years of impassioned requires an Oscar recognizing the artwork of the stunt, the movie academy has determined to present it an official award.
An achievement in stunt design prize shall be added beginning with the one hundredth Academy Awards, which can acknowledge movies launched in 2027, the movie academy stated Thursday.
“Since the early days of cinema, stunt design has been an integral part of filmmaking,” Academy CEO Invoice Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang stated in a joint assertion. “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.”
The movie academy’s manufacturing and know-how department has greater than 100 stunt performers amongst its ranks.
David Leitch, who directed “The Fall Guy,” which was itself an ode to stunt performers, helped lead the cost for the brand new prize. Leitch started his profession as a stuntman for stars like Brad Pitt earlier than transitioning to creating stunt-heavy movies like “John Wick.” He and stunt coordinator and designer Chris O’Hara of Stunts Limitless made shows to the academy advocating for the addition of a brand new award.
“Stunts are essential to every genre of film and rooted deep in our industry’s history — from the groundbreaking work of early pioneers like Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, and Charlie Chaplin, to the inspiring artistry of today’s stunt designers, coordinators, performers, and choreographers,” Leitch said in a statement Thursday. “Chris O’Hara and I have spent years working to bring this moment to life, standing on the shoulders of the stunt professionals who’ve fought tirelessly for recognition over the decades. We are incredibly grateful.”
Stunt designer is a comparatively new designation. For his work on “The Fall Guy” O’Hara was the primary particular person to be credited as such.
“To be seen by the film community as stunt designers hopefully brings more light to what we really do,” O’Hara instructed The Related Press in 2024. “Back in the day, stunt guys were the cowboys. Now we are creative. We create amazing things, just like a production designer does or a costume designer does.”
The Oscars paid tribute to the stunt neighborhood with a video montage on the 2024 ceremony, trying again at over 100 years of Hollywood stunts from Chaplin and Keaton all the best way to “Mission: Impossible” and “The Matrix.”
Different awards reveals have been forward of the curve in celebrating stunts: The Emmys honors stunt coordination and stunt efficiency, whereas the Display screen Actors Guild Awards acknowledge stunt ensembles in tv and movie.
The Oscars additionally lately added a prize for achievement in casting, beginning with movies launched in 2025. As with the casting award, it stays unclear whether or not it is going to be added to the reside Oscars broadcast.
Chad Stahelski, who co-directed “John Wick” and did stunts for Keanu Reeves, instructed the AP Thursday that there is nonetheless work to be performed.
“The idea of giving an Academy Award for stunt design is awesome – don’t get me wrong,” he stated. “Now I would like to know who’s going to decide who gets it, and who actually gets the award? It’s not like it was 100 years ago when there was one person designing it. It’s a collaborative effort.”
Stahelski added: “Stunts is such a collaborative and sophisticated division, how are we going to find out who this goes to? We’ve spent 100 years getting the award, let’s simply be sure it goes to the proper folks.”
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AP Movie Author Jake Coyle contributed from New York.
