Tom Hiddleston’s Latest Disney Plus Series Offers a Unique Twist on Loki’s Time Travel Adventures

Tom Hiddleston and executive producer Kevin R. Wright are teaming up again, but this time it’s for something a bit different than you might expect. They’ve been diving deep into the history of the Roman Empire with a new docudrama titled *Pompeii: Out of Time With Tom Hiddleston*. This three-part series explores the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD that obliterated the city of Pompeii. It’s set to premiere on National Geographic on July 22, with availability on Disney Plus and Hulu starting July 23.

In this series, Hiddleston takes on the role of a “time detective,” using a unique twist to travel back in time, immersing himself in scripted sequences that depict the lives of real Romans who faced the eruption.

For those wondering about the link between the MCU star and the destruction of Pompeii, the series serves as a subtle nod to an episode from *Loki* season 1, where the Asgardian hero travels back to 79 AD to explore theories about time variance and cataclysmic events.

*Pompeii: Out of Time* will blend dramatized accounts of actual individuals who lived in Pompeii during its final moments, drawing from insights provided by archaeologists, historians, geologists, and disaster specialists. The series aims to correct common misconceptions about the eruption, particularly the notion that it instantly claimed the lives of all its inhabitants. As described in the show’s materials, “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.”

The format will alternate between investigative documentary segments, where Hiddleston engages with experts to uncover historical truths, and reenactments based on artifacts left behind by three key figures: a teenage apprentice, a powerful businesswoman, and a mysterious Praetorian Guard.

Hiddleston has a strong background in antiquity, having studied Classics at the University of Cambridge, where he learned Ancient Greek and Latin.

“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,” Hiddleston shared in the show’s materials. “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.”

While this series may have originated as a clever reference to *Loki*, it’s clear that Hiddleston and the team are fully invested in bringing this historical narrative to life. Was it destiny or just a stroke of creative luck?