After many years of impassioned calls for an Oscar recognising the art of the stunt, the film academy has decided to give it an official award. An achievement in stunt design prize will be added starting with the 100th Academy Awards, which will recognise films released in 2027, the film academy said Thursday. “Since the early days of cinema, stunt design has been an integral part of filmmaking,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang said in a joint statement. “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 film academy’s production and technology branch has more than 100 stunt performers among its ranks. David Leitch, who directed “The Fall Guy,” which was itself an ode to stunt performers, helped lead the charge for the new prize. Leitch began his career as a stuntman for stars like Brad Pitt before transitioning to making stunt-heavy films like “John Wick.” He and stunt coordinator and designer Chris O’Hara of Stunts Unlimited made presentations to the academy advocating for the addition of a 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 relatively new designation. For his work on “The Fall Guy” O’Hara was the first 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 told The Associated 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.”