Kevin Costner returns to television in a holiday special titled Kevin Costner Presents: The First Christmas, airing on ABC on December 9 at 8 p.m. EST. Following his departure from Paramount Network’s hit series Yellowstone, where he played John Dutton III, Costner’s new project is a two-hour retelling of the story of Mary and Joseph. The announcement coincides with ABC’s holiday programming lineup, which includes a variety of specials and episodes from other shows. Costner, who left Yellowstone in 2024 due to scheduling conflicts, had not returned to TV until this special, as his character was killed off during the show’s final season. Besides the holiday special, Costner has acted in two movies since Yellowstone, although the release of the second has been delayed. Paramount Network and ABC continue to celebrate the impact of Yellowstone and its related franchises.