The story has come to an end… “A story of a pregnant young girl and the massacre of infants” explores the ‘true history’ behind Christmas.

‘Kevin Costner Presents: The First Christmas’

“Yellowstone’s” John Dutton has taken off his cowboy hat and picked up a Bible. Hollywood legend Kevin Costner is tracing the origins of Christmas and stepping directly into history.

At 8 p.m. on the 9th (local time), ABC will broadcast a two-hour special documentary, “Kevin Costner Presents: The First Christmas,” with Costner serving as both host and narrator.

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◆ “They were just frightened kids”

This program is not the romantic, peaceful Christmas story we typically hear.
Instead, Costner approaches the birth of Jesus from a lens of historical realism.

In an interview with The Christian Post, Costner emphasized:

• “Mary was a pregnant teenage girl,” and

• “Joseph was also just a young boy,”

adding that the two embarked on an unbelievably dangerous journey under the brutal rule of the Roman Empire.

The special does not shy away from the violent and dark historical context found in the Bible—including the Massacre of the Innocents ordered by King Herod at the time.

Directed by David L. Cunningham, filming took place in Morocco, recreating the harsh and perilous atmosphere of the Middle East 2,000 years ago.

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◆ Costner’s personal confession

Costner opens the program by sharing a personal memory of performing in a church Nativity play as a child.
The documentary weaves together reenactment scenes with interviews from Catholic and Protestant theologians, offering viewers both theological depth and historical background.

Critics have praised the special as “an opportunity to view a familiar story through a realistic lens with a stronger focus on the Gospel.”

“Kevin Costner Presents: The First Christmas” airs today (the 9th) at 8 p.m. on ABC.
Starting on the 10th, the program will also be available for streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.