Tom Hardy: One Stunt Oscar for Venom Not Enough

In a recent interview with IGN, actor Tom Hardy expressed his views on the newly announced Oscar category for Stunt Design, set to be introduced at the 2028 Academy Awards. Speaking ahead of his new film, Havoc, Hardy shared his belief that a single award might not suffice to honor the full spectrum of the stunt industry's contributions to cinema.

"One Oscar, it's a bit too little too late in some aspects," Hardy remarked. "It's good, it's great and cup half full territory, but I think perhaps more is asked for." He emphasized the complexity of the stunt department, suggesting that the term 'stunt design' oversimplifies the diverse roles and skills involved.

"It's not enough just stunt design because there are so many elements that go into stunts as a department," Hardy explained. The actor, known for his roles in films like Venom and Mad Max: Fury Road, highlighted the various aspects of stunt work, from designing action sequences to the physical execution of stunts. "The design element is like an umbrella for a diaspora of different groups within that world that all need to be illuminated, and understood, quite how hard they work, and what the stunt department, along with effects, deliver for people that want to go to cinema or sit down and watch anything remotely with any action or anything beyond just the written word or the spoken word," he added.

Hardy went on to describe the range of stunt work, from horseback riding and car chases to skydiving and underwater scenes, emphasizing the dedication and risk involved. "That entire universe of people is unsung, and they put a lot on the line for that physically, and they're largely unspoken, but they do really put the thrill into film and TV. I've got a lot of friends in that world, so yeah, I'd like to see some subcategories in there as well."

Gareth Evans, the director of Havoc and known for his work on The Raid films, echoed Hardy's sentiments, suggesting that subcategories could provide more comprehensive recognition. "Subcategories would be nice," Evans stated. "I don't think awards drive the craft. I think that's the wrong reason to do it. I think it's all about expressing yourself within the parameters of what the film is that you're making. I think it's about time that it got rewarded, about time that it had some recognition, and hard to understand why it wasn't from the get-go really."

The introduction of the Stunt Design Oscar, a significant step after a century of oversight by the Academy, is set for the 2028 ceremony. However, fans won't have to wait as long to see Hardy in action, as Havoc premieres on Netflix this Friday, April 25th.