While he was released from WWE earlier this year, former Superstar Karrion Kross has a short film that is Oscar-qualified, a great accomplishment for any storyteller.
Kross took to X, formerly Twitter, to share the exciting news. Kross' short film ,Blue Evening, is now Oscar-qualified, and it will be eligible for the Live-Action Short Film category when the ceremony takes place in March 2026.
BLUE EVENING is Oscars Qualified! 🎉
We are officially in consideration for the 98th Academy Awards in the Live Action Short Film category.
Thank you to the entire cast & crew of the film- and everyone who continues to see the film as it screens during the film festivals!… pic.twitter.com/4EMR8SrcqT
— Kevin Robert Kesar (@realKILLERkross) November 3, 2025
“BLUE EVENING is Oscars Qualified! [party popper emoji]” Kross wrote. We are officially in consideration for the 98th Academy Awards in the Live Action Short Film category.
“Thank you to the entire cast & crew of the film- and everyone who continues to see the film as it screens during the film festivals!” he continued.
Ex-WWE star Karrion Kross reflects on his short film's positive reviews
Later in his post, Kross reflected on Blue Evening being positively received by critics. Kross is “thankful” for everyone who has supported it. He appears in the film and is also an executive producer.
“The response to Blue Evening has been amazing from both fans and fellow filmmakers alike, and we’re deeply thankful to everyone who has supported us, from our talented cast and crew to every festival that believed in the film, screened it and nominated it,” he raved. “To be considered at this level is a tremendous honor. No matter what happens next, the journey of Blue Evening has already been something truly special.”
Ultimately, Kross is just grateful to be eligible for an Oscar. “If you’re a member of the Academy, we’d be honored if you considered Blue Evening in the Live Action Short Film category,” Kross concluded.
Blue Evening is the latest endeavor from Kross since his WWE release. He was released in August 2025 after his contract expired. His last match was against Sami Zayn at SummerSlam, which he lost.
Since his release, Kross has returned to the independent circuit. He reverted to the ring name Killer Kross. Kross has made appearances in various independent promotions. Earlier this year, Kross released his memoir, Life Is Fighting.
