Tom Hiddleston Plays Time Detective In Pompeii: Out Of Time, National Geographic’s Innovative Investigation Into The City’s Final Hours
Reuniting Hiddleston and ‘Loki’ Executive Producer Kevin R. Wright, the Three-Part Event Series From Plimsoll Productions Premieres on Sunday, 26 July 2026
National Geographic has unveiled the official trailer and premiere date for POMPEII: OUT OF TIME WITH TOM HIDDLESTON. The new three-part docudrama will premiere on Sunday, 26 July on National Geographic (DStv 181, StarTimes 220), with all three episodes aired back-to-back, and on Disney+ in South Africa.
Host and “Loki” star Tom Hiddleston and “Loki” executive producer Kevin R. Wright reunite for the series, a fusion of cinematic scripted drama and investigative documentary storytelling that transports audiences to ancient Rome in the hours before and during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Guided by a team of archaeologists, historians, geologists and disaster experts, he uncovers remarkable evidence – and the stories of real people that challenge long-held assumptions about Pompeii and its final hours – not least revealing that many of those caught up in the disaster had the chance to survive.
With a twist of his hand, Golden GlobeⓇ and Olivier-winning Hiddleston (“The Night Manager”) journeys back in time, stepping into cinematic scripted sequences following the lives of real Romans caught in Vesuvius’ path.
Following a teenage apprentice, a powerful businesswoman and a mysterious Praetorian Guard, he pieces together how each confronted impossible choices as disaster loomed. As the volcano awakens and the countdown to catastrophe begins, the evidence converges in a gripping race against time to uncover who survived, who perished, and what determined their fate.
“The ancient world has compelled my imagination and curiosity for as long as I can remember: I’ve been fascinated by it all my life,” said Hiddleston. “Classical Antiquity is the foundation and cornerstone of Western and European culture. To visit Pompeii is to feel the distance of the 2,000 years between now and then compress. The past becomes the present; the past feels so close. Tangible, honest and real. Our relationship with the past is alive – studying who we were in order to understand who we are. Pompeii is a gateway for that conversation. It’s a privilege to host this visually immersive and dynamic series. Pompeii is often remembered for how its story ended. But by looking closer, we can uncover the details of people’s lives, the choices they made, and the moments that came before the city was buried. To revisit the final hours of those ordinary people, caught in an extraordinary moment, and to help bring these remarkable human stories back into the light, is a genuine honor.”
Bringing a bold cinematic vision shaped by his work on Marvel’s critically acclaimed “Loki,” executive producer Kevin R. Wright helps reimagine how history is brought to the screen for modern audiences. Blending cutting-edge archaeological discoveries, expert analysis and deeply personal storytelling, the series reframes Pompeii not as a story of destruction but as a human drama of resilience, sacrifice and survival, revealing the lives, choices and destinies of those who stood in the shadow of Vesuvius.
“National Geographic has spent more than a century bringing the past to life through groundbreaking discoveries, exploration and world-class storytelling,” said Tom McDonald, EVP of Content, National Geographic. “Working with Tom and Kevin, alongside the team at Plimsoll led by showrunner Tom Barbor-Might, has been a process of inventing an entirely new genre of history programming – one which brings evidence and imagination together in a way which feels distinctive.”
On 21 July, natgeo.com will publish a major story on three Roman cities buried by Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79, which will be featured in the August issue of National Geographic magazine. Using AI and advanced DNA analysis, researchers are uncovering new insights into ancient Roman life: class and gender dynamics at Oplontis, previously unreadable lost writings from Herculaneum’s carbonized scrolls, and diet and disease from a Pompeii latrine. The findings reveal a society surprisingly preoccupied with inequality, health and the pursuit of a fulfilling life.
The original series soundtrack, featuring a score by composer Aisling Brouwer, will be released through Hollywood Records on 24 July 2026. Listen wherever you stream music.
POMPEII: OUT OF TIME is produced by Plimsoll Productions. For Plimsoll, Tom Barbor-Might serves as showrunner and director; Jessica Ruston and Mark Ravenhill are writers with additional writing by Kevin R. Wright and Tom Barbor-Might; and Grant Mansfield, Kevin R. Wright, Helen Flint and Alan Eyres are executive producers. For National Geographic, Carolyn Payne is the executive producer, Charlie Parsons is senior vice president of Development, Bengt Anderson is senior vice president of Unscripted Production, and Tom McDonald is executive vice president of National Geographic Content. Hiddleston is represented by Hamilton Hodell (U.K.), Range Media Partners (U.S.), Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole (legal) and Prosper PR (publicity).
