Tom Hiddleston unearths Pompeii’s final hours 

A new series fuses cinematic scripted drama and investigative documentary to tell the story of ancient Rome in the hours before and during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The docudrama is hosted by Tom Hiddleston (Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe).

Pompeii: Out of Time with Tom Hiddleston is streaming on Disney+ from tomorrow (23 July 2026). The three episodes will air back-to-back this Sunday (26 July) on National Geographic (DStv 181, StarTimes 220). The series is co-written and executive produced by Loki executive producer Kevin R Wright.

The narrative reframes Pompeii not as a story of destruction but as a human drama of resilience, sacrifice and survival. The show reveals the lives, choices and destinies of those who stood in the shadow of Vesuvius.

Hiddleston works with archaeologists, historians, geologists and disaster experts to examine the latest evidence. The documentary uses new discoveries and personal accounts to reassess long-held assumptions about Pompeii and the city’s final hours. The evidence suggests that many people had an opportunity to escape the disaster.

The programme examines the experiences of a teenage apprentice, a powerful businesswoman, and a Praetorian Guard. Hiddleston explores the choices each person faced as the eruption approached. Evidence is used to determine who survived, who died and which factors shaped 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,” says 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 honour.”

Tom McDonald, National Geographic EVP of content, says: “National Geographic has spent more than a century bringing the past to life through groundbreaking discoveries, exploration and world-class storytelling. 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.”

National Geographic has published a major story on three Roman cities buried by Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. The story will be featured in the August issue of National Geographic magazine. Researchers are using AI and advanced DNA analysis to uncover new insights into ancient Roman life. Their findings cover class and gender dynamics at Oplontis, previously unreadable texts from Herculaneum’s carbonised scrolls, and evidence of diet and disease from a Pompeii latrine. The research reveals a society that was deeply concerned 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 Friday (24 July).

Plimsoll Productions produced the series, with Tom Barbor-Might as showrunner and director. Jessica Ruston and Mark Ravenhill wrote the series, while Grant Mansfield, Helen Flint and Alan Eyres served as executive producers. Carolyn Payne served as executive producer for National Geographic, alongside senior executives Charlie Parsons, Bengt Anderson and Tom McDonald.