Tom Hiddleston Premieres 'Pompeii: Out of Time' on Nat Geo

Tom Hiddleston will host the three-part National Geographic docuseries Pompeii: Out of Time with Tom Hiddleston, according to Variety. The series premieres on July 22, 2026.

Hiddleston reunites with Loki executive producer Kevin R. Wright for the project, which explores the final hours of Pompeii after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79. The show is described as an ambitious hybrid that blends documentary interviews with scripted drama and a Loki-inspired time-travel framework.

What is the show's format?

He pieces together the stories of three real Romans—a teenage bronzesmith apprentice, a bathhouse owner, and a Praetorian guard—as they confront the disaster. The goal, as explained by series director Tom Barbor-Might, is to use dramatic techniques to attract audiences who might not typically watch historical documentaries.

"I am always interested in breaking down distinctions between genres, using dramatic techniques in factual stories and vice versa," Barbor-Might told Variety. "I hope this hybrid approach means that we can attract audiences that might not normally watch more traditional historical documentaries – including the highly cineliterate younger people."

When and where can I watch it?

Pompeii: Out of Time premieres on the National Geographic channel on July 22.

Kevin R. Wright said the team felt free to "mash forms together" because of how modern audiences consume media. "We certainly feel like we’ve unlocked an exciting format," Wright said.

Hiddleston, who studied Classics at Cambridge University, cited a personal fascination with Pompeii and inspiration from his Thor co-star Chris Hemsworth's work with Nat Geo as reasons for joining the project.