Kevin Costner to Be Honored by MPSE at the 2025 Golden Reel Awards

Kevin Costner‘s gotten a lot of attention for his projects this year — including his unseen exit from “Yellowstone” when it returned for the rest of its fifth season — and now the Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE) is singling him out for his attention to sound.

The premier organization of entertainment sound editing professionals announced November 20 that Costner will receive the 2025 MPSE Filmmaker Award, bestowed annually to a filmmaker of distinction, during the 72nd Annual MPSE Golden Reel Awards on Sunday, February 23, 2025, in Los Angeles. The Filmmaker Award goes to someone outside the sound community who demonstrates a strong appreciation and understanding of the impact sound editing has on a project.

Additionally, the organization announced that supervising sound editor Greg Hedgepath will receive the Career Achievement Award during the gala at the Ebell Theatre. That award goes to a person whose career has created a significant impact on the sound community.

“Kevin Costner has captivated audiences with his powerful storytelling throughout his illustrious career,” MPSE president David Barber said in a statement. “From epic Westerns to poignant dramas, his use of sound as an integral component of his cinematic storytelling has stirred our emotions and immersed viewers in the worlds he’s created for decades. This passion for sound is abundantly clear in his latest ambitious project, the Horizon saga. We are thrilled to honor him with the Filmmaker Award, recognizing his exceptional contributions to the art of storytelling through sound in film and television.”

“Greg Hedgepath is a true titan in the world of sound,” Barber continued. “His contributions to cinema are immense, spanning decades and encompassing a remarkable range of genres. From the heart-pounding intensity of ‘Speed’ and ‘Twister’ to the nuanced drama of ‘Selma’ and ‘Straight Outta Compton,’ Greg’s work has consistently elevated storytelling through the power of sound. He is a master craftsman, an innovator, and an inspiration. This award is a testament to the profound impact he has had on the art of sound.”

Last year, those honors went to Michael Dinner (“Justified: City Primeval”) and Dane A. Davis, a sound editor with over 150 credits, best known for his Oscar-winning work on 1999’s “The Matrix.”

Costner, whose directorial credits include “Dances With Wolves,” “The Postman,” and “Open Range,” finally saw the release of part one of his long-gestating Horizon Saga this year; IndieWire’s Jim Hemphill singled the film out as deserving to be part of the awards conversation, praising the work of the sound team in particular:

“The company was constantly besieged by unpredictable weather, leaving production sound mixer Brett Grant-Grierson with the unenviable task of recording clean tracks in less-than-ideal conditions. Yet the dialogue here is crisp and clear, capturing the richness of each performance without compromise or dilution,” he wrote. “And it’s beautifully integrated with sound design that immerses the audience in the period….supervising sound editor Bradley North and re-recording mixers Chris Carpenter and Joe DeAngelis built a rich sonic environment where every creak, gunshot, and horse gallop sends the viewer back in time.”

Submissions for The Golden Reel Awards are open now through November 26. For more information, visit mpse.org.