Tom Hiddleston, the award-winning actor known for his role as Loki, is set to host an innovative new National Geographic documentary drama exploring the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in ancient Rome. The series, titled Pompeii: Out Of Time With Tom Hiddleston, will blend investigative documentary storytelling with cinematic scripted drama, aiming to reimagine how history is presented on screen.
Immersive Three-Part Series
The 45-year-old actor will transport audiences to ancient Rome in this immersive three-part series, examining the events before, during, and after the catastrophic disaster that destroyed the ancient city of Pompeii. Hiddleston will reunite with Kevin R. Wright, the executive producer of Loki, for this project. He will step into cinematic scripted sequences following the lives of real Romans caught in the disaster.
The trailer, released by National Geographic UK on Tuesday, offers a glimpse into the series. Hiddleston describes the destruction of Pompeii as a story of death. He will be joined by a team of historians, archaeologists, geologists, and disaster experts as he explores the lives of a teenage apprentice, a businesswoman, and a Praetorian guard in the countdown to Vesuvius' eruption.
Human Stories Behind the Disaster
In the trailer, Hiddleston says, Every one of them left behind a story. A story of what it was like to experience that day, to live it. He adds, This is the story we don't know. This is the story I want to tell.
Reflecting on the series, Hiddleston stated, The ancient world has compelled my imagination and curiosity for as long as I can remember. 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.
He continued, 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.
New Genre of History Programming
Tom McDonald, executive vice president of content at National Geographic, praised the institution's groundbreaking discoveries and world-class storytelling. He said, Working with Tom and Kevin, alongside the team at Plimsoll Productions 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.
Pompeii: Out Of Time With Tom Hiddleston will be available to watch on Disney+ and National Geographic on July 23.
