Kevin Costner Presents: The First Christmas arrives as a two-hour ABC docudrama that retells the Nativity with grit and reverence, then streams the next day. On Tuesday, December 9, 2025, the special aired from 8–10 p.m. EST on ABC, with on‑demand streaming beginning Wednesday, December 10, on Hulu and Disney+. Costner hosts and narrates, and he also explains why he took on the project and how faith has shaped him.
Below is everything we confirmed about Kevin Costner Presents: The First Christmas—from when and where to watch to the creative approach, featured experts, and what Costner himself is saying.
Release date & where to watch
- U.S. broadcast: Tuesday, December 9, 2025, 8–10 p.m. EST on ABC.
- Streaming: Available starting Wednesday, December 10 on Hulu and on Disney+ (via Hulu on Disney+).
- Live TV streaming options: Fubo (free trial) and DIRECTV (free trial) carried the ABC telecast.
ABC promoted the streaming start date as December 10. The Daily Express US also listed Fubo and DIRECTV as live options for cord‑cutters and reiterated the December 10 streaming availability.
What the special shows
(Disney/Najat Oulhaj)
The special blends reenactments with commentary from scholars and clergy to reframe Mary and Joseph’s journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem and the birth of Jesus. A review characterized the approach as “a direct and reverent approach to the Nativity story,” noted for a more historically grounded portrayal that does not shy away from hardship surrounding Jesus’ birth.
America Magazine’s interview highlights the project’s emphasis on historical context—from the political climate under Herod the Great to theological explanations of the Archangel Gabriel—and confirms that Catholic priest Rev. Sean Raftis of the Diocese of Helena is among the experts. The piece also spotlights youthful casting that underlines Mary and Joseph’s ages: Gia Rose Patel as Mary and Ethan Thorne as Joseph.
Kevin Costner on faith, belief, and why he said yes
Speaking about the Bible, Costner said: “The stories of the Bible are fantastic.” He added that he saw the special as a chance “to maybe reinvest in the story that’s managed to endure all these years, all these centuries.”
Asked about narrating the Nativity, he explained: “I was raised in a church… It’s been so much a part of my life.” He also framed belief this way: “You choose to believe. I choose to believe — that doesn’t mean I know how to defend it when someone can come at me from different directions.”
Describing the lived reality for Mary and Joseph, Costner reflected on the weight of the moment for very young parents: “Imagine the idea that she’s unwed, she’s pregnant… as a young girl, that you’re somehow (part of) this whole thing, that had to be overwhelming for them.”
(Disney/Najat Oulhaj)
GIA ROSE PATEL
Featured scholars, creatives, and production
- Rev. Sean Raftis (Diocese of Helena) — Catholic clergy voice featured among the experts.
- Jodi Magness — Kenan Distinguished Professor for Teaching Excellence in Early Judaism at UNC‑Chapel Hill, identified as a featured scholar in the ABC production.
- David L. Cunningham — Director of the special.
- Warm Springs Productions — Production company.
- Gia Rose Patel (Mary) and Ethan Thorne (Joseph) — Principal cast for the dramatized segments.
- Herod the Great and the Archangel Gabriel — Historical and theological focal points discussed by the experts.
Tone, themes, and what makes it different
Reviewers emphasize a gritty, historically minded tone that counters a postcard‑pretty Nativity. Costner’s narration aims to slow viewers down for a fuller meditation on the first Christmas while still pointing to hope. In America’s interview, Costner recalls the introduction that contrasts a “cozy barn” image with “a pregnant unwed teenage girl, a shamed lover, a treacherous journey [and] a harrowing birth inside a dark cave.”
Kevin Costner Presents: The First Christmas takes the emotional stakes for Mary and Joseph and the dangers of the Roman era seriously. The docudrama approach intends to serve both believers and the curious, echoing Costner’s invitation to look again at “the real story behind the tradition.”
(Disney/Najat Oulhaj)
ALEJANDRO BARRIOS
FAQ: Kevin Costner, Christianity, and ‘The First Christmas’
- Is Kevin Costner a Christian? He says he was “raised in a church” and chooses to believe; he discussed those roots while promoting the special.
- Is Kevin Costner Catholic? The special features Catholic clergy like Rev. Sean Raftis, but Costner has described growing up in a Baptist church; he speaks broadly about faith rather than denominational identity in recent interviews.
- Is this a Kevin Costner Christmas movie? It is an ABC docudrama special—hosted and narrated by Costner—not a theatrical narrative feature.
Bottom line
Kevin Costner Presents: The First Christmas premiered on ABC on December 9, 2025 (8–10 p.m. EST) and streams on Hulu and Disney+ starting December 10. It offers a sober, richly contextual Nativity that pairs gritty reenactments with expert commentary and Costner’s reflective narration.
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