National Geographic has unveiled the official trailer for POMPEII: OUT OF TIME WITH TOM HIDDLESTON, a new three-part docudrama premiering on Disney+.
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 Tom 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.
“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 compressed. 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,” said Tom Hiddleston.
“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 honour.”
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.
Ahead of the release on the 23rd of July, National Geographic will publish a major story on three Roman cities buried by Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79.
