After leaving Yellowstone, actor Kevin Costner is returning to the small screen in a brand-new TV project. The Taylor Sheridan-created Yellowstone debuted in 2018 and became a huge hit for the Paramount Network, and catapulted into the stratosphere when it began streaming on Peacock. Costner starred as John Dutton III but departed partway through the show’s final season.

Now Costner is returning to TV in a new holiday special called Kevin Costner Presents: The First Christmas, which will air Tuesday, December 9 at 8 p.m. EST on ABC, according to Variety. The two-hour show will tell the story of Mary, Joseph and the birth of Jesus, with Costner as host.

The special was announced alongside the rest of ABC’s holiday schedule, which includes Prep & Landing, Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice, Prep & Landing: The Snowball Protocol, Olaf’s Frozen Adventure and Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town airing on November 30.

The Wonderful World of Disney: Holiday Spectacular airs on the first day of December, followed by a Dancing with the Stars holiday special, CMA Country Christmas and a What Would You Do? holiday special the next night.

Several other ABC shows will also air holiday-themed episodes, including Celebrity Family Feud (December 4); America’s Funniest Home Videos (December 7); Shifting Gears, Abbott Elementary and Shark Tank (December 10); and Celebrity Wheel of Fortune (December 11).

The Great Christmas Light Fight returns for its 13th season on December 4, with the finale scheduled for December 18. iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2025 airs on December 17, and the annual Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade is set for Christmas morning.

Mary Poppins, The Santa Clause, The Sound of Music and Home Alone will air throughout the holiday season, like in past years.

Kevin Costner Presents: The First Christmas is a new special that ABC is airing alongside its typical holiday programming. Costner left Yellowstone in 2024 over scheduling conflicts, among other reasons, and hasn’t returned to TV–until now.

His character John Dutton III was killed off when Yellowstone season 5 returned for the back half of the season. The series finale aired in December 2024.

Sheridan created an entire franchise out of Yellowstone, which includes 1883 and 1923. Spinoffs Y: Marshals and The Madison are currently in production.

As for Costner, he has starred in two movies since Yellowstone: Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 and Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2. Two more Horizon films are expected to be released in the future.