Tenzing gets its Apple TV+ date: streaming starts October 16

Tenzing is set to debut worldwide on Apple TV+ on October 16, 2026. First, though, it’ll stop at Telluride, where it premieres on September 4, followed by a limited U.S. theatrical release on October 9. Apple picked up the film’s worldwide rights after a competitive bidding war at Cannes in 2024, then slotted it into the kind of fall rollout usually reserved for awards-minded titles.

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The story centers on the 1953 Everest expedition. Tom Hiddleston plays Sir Edmund Hillary, Genden Phuntsok stars as Tenzing Norgay, Willem Dafoe appears as Colonel John Hunt, and Caitríona Balfe plays Jill Henderson. What sets the film apart is the angle: it tells the climb from Tenzing Norgay’s side rather than falling back on the standard British expedition version. That includes the long-argued question of who reached the summit first, but also the larger issue hanging over the whole story, which is how often Tenzing Norgay’s share of that achievement was treated as somehow second to Hillary’s.

Early reactions have singled out Genden Phuntsok in particular, and the film seems to lean hard into questions of class, ambition, recognition, and cultural difference.

Jennifer Peedom directs after years of Himalayan-focused work, including Sherpa. Norbu Tenzing is on board as executive producer, and the production shot in Nepal, around Everest, Kathmandu, and the Khumbu region. That should give the film a more grounded feel, not just another polished historical retelling. If you’ve been waiting for Tom Hiddleston’s next big streaming release, this looks like one to catch on Apple TV+.

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