The Oscars have diversified quite a lot ever since they were first introduced in the late 1920s, almost a century ago. Since 1929, the Academy has been seen introducing new categories every few years or so, giving more people the chance to bag the accolade that is renowned for bestowing international recognition and prestige to its receivers.
In the more recent year, the Academy has included quite some notable categories, with yet another category reportedly making its debut by the year 2026. And while this category is not that for Best Stunts (which is nowhere in sight as of this writing), fans do have a quite literal guess of who will be the most frequent receiver of the award in the soon-to-be-officially-introduced category.
The Academy Will Include A New Oscar Category By 2026
After being introduced almost a century ago in 1929, the Oscars currently have 24 different categories as of this writing. But that number is soon about to be increased within two years, by the year 2026, as per reports by Discussing Film.
According to what @DiscussingFilm recently took to X (formerly Twitter) to share, the Academy will soon be introducing the ‘Best Casting’ category to the awards reportedly from the 98th Academy Awards, which will be held in 2026.
The Oscars will introduce a Best Casting category.
Starting from 2026. pic.twitter.com/iIpHcbMzJU
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) February 8, 2024
This category will notably serve as an addition to the already existing 24 categories, which mainly include Best: Picture, Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Directing, Original Screenplay, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Production Design, and Editing.
Adding to these are the Best: Original Score, Original Song, Costume Design, Makeup and Hairstyling, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects, Foreign-Language Film, Animated Feature Film, Animated Short, Live-Action Short, Documentary Feature, and Documentary Short categories.
If the Academy is indeed fulfilling the long-dreamt wish of casting directors to bring this category to existence soon, fans have already predicted who could be the most frequent winner of this accolade, year after year after year: Martin Scorsese.
As @EaglesBurna commented on original the tweet by @DiscussingFilm:
Martin Scorcese is gonna win every year he drops a movie
— Josh Sweat Truther (@EaglesBurna) February 8, 2024
Well, that for one thing is quite literally true, considering how Scorsese has done some of the best and most immaculate castings of all time. Killers of the Flower Moon, Goodfellas, The Departed, and Shutter Island are some of the best examples of his impeccable casting choices.
This increases his chances of winning the Oscar for ‘Best Casting’ category by unmeasurable extents, paving the way for Martin Scorsese to become the recipient of the accolade each year that he brings yet another masterpiece to life.
Fans are Divided as Some are Happy while Others Campaign for the ‘Best Stunts’ Category
While fans are happy about this decision of the Academy to finally acknowledge the dire efforts of the casting directors (a good cast notably plays a major role in the success of the project), they are also divided due to the lack of the introduction of the ‘Best Stunts’ Category.
Just like the casting directors, stunt performers have been yet another category of people who have been campaigning to be officially acknowledged by the Academy for a long, long time. Yet, even as of this writing, their plea is still yet to be recognized at the Oscars.
This is why fans can’t decide whether to be happy for the casting directors or sad for the stunt performers. Taking to X to comment on the official tweet by @DiscussingFilm announcing this inclusion of the category, here’s what they have to say:
When do stunt guys get their Oscar recognitions?
— ∂αιℓуσ∂∂ѕ (@DailyoddsX_Ng) February 8, 2024
Casting directors are UNSUNG HEROES
APPRECIATE THEM!
— Markie (@Just_Oma_) February 8, 2024
They Need Stunt Category Too
— 𝙸𝚝𝚜𝚁𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚘𝚖𝚆𝚘𝚛𝚍𝚜🏳️⚧️🧩 (@ItsRandomWordss) February 8, 2024
Surprised they’re adding this before a Best Stunts category
— Samantha J. Foster Composer (@sjfostersound) February 8, 2024
As long as it is about the *actual* quality of the cast and not filling arbitrary diversity quotas
— M-Rod, The Greatest (@MRodTheGreatest) February 8, 2024
Fantastic. Long overdue. SAG has had it forever.@TheAcademy needs to change rule so that only English language films can win best picture as Foreign films have their own category. BAFTA rewards local and international films this way.
— Paisano (@Paisano) February 8, 2024
Casting but not stuntwork? I predict another all time low viewership.
— David freaking Maynor (@Dave_Maynor) February 8, 2024
THIS IS SOOOO OVERDUE!!! 💜💜💜 IM SO HAPPY! JUMPING FOR JOY!
— ras ali (@rasalistair) February 8, 2024
What took them so long! Because yes!
— Purp? (@purpyisgreat) February 8, 2024
Now that the Academy has finally introduced a ‘Best Casting’ category after long years of campaigning, it seems the ‘Best Stunts’ category will soon be introduced in the Oscars as well. And when it does, we know who could win this accolade the most frequently: Thomas Cruise Mapother IV! (Get it?)
