MOVIE NEWS – For the first time in Hollywood history, the term “stunt designer” appears on a film’s credits, replacing the traditional “stunt coordinator” designation. This change is notably seen in the credits of the romantic action-comedy “The Fall Guy,” with Chris O’Hara named next to the new title, considered one of the industry’s best.

The stunt coordinator role has long been acknowledged by both the Screen Actors Guild and the Directors Guild of America, but the title of stunt designer more precisely describes the work involved. A stunt designer not only ensures that a stunt looks good and is safe when a stunt double falls in front of the cameras, but also plans the entire complex setup from both technical and aesthetic perspectives, similar to how a production designer meticulously crafts the entire visual appearance on screen. While production designers have been Oscar-eligible for a long time – this year, Zsuzsanna Sipos even shared an Oscar for “Dune” – stunt performers have not yet been recognized with an Academy Award.

David Leitch and his wife, Kelly McCormick, who produced “The Fall Guy,” have tirelessly worked with Universal Studios and the aforementioned guilds to have the term stunt designer included in their film’s credits, setting a precedent that may pave the way for stunt Oscars.

O’Hara has been responsible for some of the most spectacular stunts in major productions over the past two decades, from “Pearl Harbor” and the two “Matrix” sequels to “John Wick” and “Atomic Blonde,” the latter two where Leitch was a direct collaborator.

“The Fall Guy” is considered one of the best-constructed and most entertaining romantic action-comedies in recent years. It pays homage to the grandeur of classic Hollywood while also presenting a modern, distorted reflection, perfectly capturing the chemistry between its leads, Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling. It received an 89% rating on RottenTomatoes.

(The Fall Guy – local premiere: May 2, 2024.)