'John Wick' director hints Oscars may soon honour stunt work with new category

According to renowned stunt coordinator and director Chad Stahelski - best known for 'John Wick' - the inclusion of a Best Stunt Work category at the Academy Awards is imminent.

In an interview with comicbookmovie.com, Stahelski revealed that he has engaged in several discussions with Academy officials regarding the creation of such a category. He expressed optimism about the progress made and believes that it could happen within the next three to four years, potentially even as soon as the next Oscars.

However, Stahelski acknowledged that determining the most appropriate way to recognize and honor stunt work is a significant challenge.

The collaborative nature of the art form raises questions about whether the award should be for the best stunt, best choreography, best action sequence, best stunt ensemble, or involve other aspects such as the stunt coordinator, fight choreographer, or editor. These questions require thoughtful deliberation and input from both the stunt community and the Academy.

The demand for a Best Stunt category at the Oscars has been a long-standing topic among cinephiles and journalists, although it never received significant attention until now. 

Director Sidney Lumet famously raised the issue in 1991 and sponsored his stunt coordinator for membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. It took over 30 years for the Academy's Board of Governors to establish the Production and Technology branch, which includes around 100 stunt coordinators among its 400 members.

Stahelski revealed that discussions between the Academy and the Production and Technology branch have been positive and productive over the past few months.

Both sides share the desire to see stunts recognized at the Oscars, and the focus now lies in devising a fair and well-thought-out approach to achieve that goal, he added.