KATHMANDU: In an exciting bit of news for film enthusiasts and action aficionados, the Academy Awards have announced a new category: Stunt Design. Beginning at the 100th Oscars in 2027, the new honor will be a long-awaited acknowledgment of the brains behind some of the most pulse-pounding action sequences in film.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences officially made the change, with veteran filmmaker and former stuntman David Leitch (The Fall Guy, Bullet Train, and Deadpool 2) at the helm. It has been praised as a big step towards recognizing the talent, skill, and bravery of stunt performers.

“Stunt design has always been part of movie magic,” said Academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang. “We’re proud to finally honor these artists who push the limits of imagination and physicality.”

David Leitch added, “From legends like Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin to today’s daring stunt teams, this art form has always been at the heart of storytelling.”

To celebrate, the Oscars’ Instagram featured epic stunt stills—including RRR’s Ram Charan leaping at a tiger, Michelle Yeoh’s intense moment from Everything Everywhere All at Once, and Tom Cruise scaling Burj Khalifa in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol.