Most people know Tom Hiddleston from his role as Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but did you also know that he likes narrating documentaries? He has in fact been the unseen voice for numerous nature documentaries, including Earth at Night in Color and Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age, providing a much more calm vocal experience than his usual stage voice that he does for Loki. And now, he’s all set to bring that same calm voice to another documentary, but as a bit more visible presence than the usual documentary experience. Oh, and a lot more drama.
National Geographic is proud to announce their latest nature documentary Pompeii: Out of Time with Tom Hiddleston. This is not your usual nature documentary though. It’s also part historical drama as it delves into the actual people that were there when Mt. Vesuvius blew its top in 79 AD…as well as the ones who actually survived the experience to live another day. All featuring the titular Tom Hiddleston as the host and narrator, and with Kevin R. Wright (Loki executive producer) as executive producer.
As part of this announcement, National Geographic also has a brand new official trailer for Pompeii: Out of Time with Tom Hiddleston for us today on YouTube. That trailer also reveals that we’ll get to see this documentary / historical drama in July 22, 2026 exclusively on Disney+ and Hulu. Now as for that trailer? You can look below for that:
Official Trailer and Synopsis
Host and “Loki” star Tom Hiddleston and “Loki” executive producer Kevin R. Wright reunite for Pompeii: Out of Time, 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. 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.
Words from Tom Hiddleston
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 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.
Pompeii: Out of Time with Tom Hiddleston All Set to Humanize Pompeii
To be honest, Pompeii: Out of Time with Tom Hiddleston looks like a pretty interesting documentary simply due to its blend of genres. On one hand, we have a fairly dry but highly scientific archaeology story taking place in the modern day as Hiddleston and his archaeology buddies try to uncover what happened to the residents of Pompeii all those millennia ago. All with a focus on identifying individual people, and uncovering what happened to them.
Then on the other hand, we have a historical drama taking place back in 79 AD itself, when Mt. Vesuvius was spewing out fire and ash all over Pompeii. This particular drama is only possible because of archaeological work done in the modern day though, which makes it all the more interesting. It’s a nice way to intertwine the two tales, and make me surprisingly eager to watch it come July 22.
What do you all think? Are you too eager to hear Tom Hiddleston reveal who survived Pompeii? Tell us your volcanic thoughts in the comments section below.
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