New NatGeo Take on Pompeii

A new National Geographic series that uses AI and advanced DNA analysis to recreate the last days of Pompeii will premiere July 23 on Disney+.

Pompeii: Out of Time reunites Loki star Tom Hiddleston and executive producer Kevin R. Wright in a docuseries that fuses “cinematic scripted drama and investigative documentary storytelling” (here’s the trailer).

The announcement coincides with news of another hi-tech Ancient Rome series, Apocalypse Civilisations: Rome, which will use AI “to recreate the look and feel of original archival footage”. According to the producers:

Through an unprecedented alliance between historical research and artificial intelligence, the film resurrects Antiquity with an unparalleled level of realism. Every face, every ship and every landscape is grounded in ancient sources, the latest archaeological discoveries, and the work of leading international specialists.

Here’s the media release for Pompeii: Out of Time:

Tom Hiddleston Plays Time Detective in Pompeii: Out of Time, National Geographic’s Innovative Investigation Into the City’s Final Hours 

National Geographic has unveiled the official trailer and premiere date for Pompeii: Out of Time With Tom Hiddleston, a new three-part docudrama premiering July 23 on Disney+, produced by Plimsoll Productions.

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 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,” said 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.”

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.

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

“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.”

On July 21, natgeo.com will publish a major story on three Roman cities buried by Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79, which will be featured in the August issue of National Geographic magazine.

Using AI and advanced DNA analysis, researchers are uncovering new insights into ancient Roman life: class and gender dynamics at Oplontis, previously unreadable lost writings from Herculaneum’s carbonized scrolls, and diet and disease from a Pompeii latrine.

The findings reveal a society surprisingly preoccupied 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 July 24, 2026.