Tom Hiddleston draws inspiration from 'Loki' to time-travel and recount Pompeii's end

Tom Hiddleston is channeling his passion for ancient history and his experience as the cunning Loki into a new National Geographic docudrama, 'Pompeii: Out of Time.' The series aims to unravel the destruction of Pompeii by investigating the lives of three inhabitants during the tragedy. Hiddleston, who serves as an executive producer alongside Kevin Wright, sees a natural connection between the temporal paradoxes explored in the Marvel series 'Loki' and this historical exploration. "We created a grammar of storytelling in the series ('Loki'), a structure that we could reuse here. That grammar of pausing a timeline, rewinding, or returning to the beginning," Hiddleston explained to EFE. Experts and historians have noted that this narrative approach effectively mirrors the process of piecing together historical evidence. The docudrama features Hiddleston, gesturing as if manipulating time, following the trails of a blacksmith's apprentice, a praetorian guard, and Julia Felix, a successful businesswoman. The series challenges established narratives, asserting that Pompeii's destruction occurred within a 24-hour period and that survivors existed. Hiddleston's personal connection to the ancient world is evident; he first visited the ruins of Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Mount Vesuvius in 1998. He returns now with archaeologists and disaster specialists. His university studies in classics, Latin, and ancient Greek have significantly influenced his life and career, though he notes this has not always been a public aspect of his persona. While a scene in the Marvel series 'Loki' depicted time travel to Pompeii, it was filmed on a set in Atlanta. This new project offers a more direct engagement with the historical site. 'Pompeii: Out of Time' premieres on National Geographic on Wednesday, July 22, and will be available on Disney+ and Hulu the following day.

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We created a grammar of storytelling in the series ('Loki'), a structure that we could reuse here. That grammar of pausing a timeline, rewinding, or returning to the beginning