Tom Hiddleston's 'breathtaking' 125-minute Biopic Is Officially Apple Tv's Biggest Streaming Hit

Apple TV

Tom Hiddleston was an actor on the rise throughout the 2000s, but unless you had access to the West End in London or were an avid viewer of British television dramas, he probably didn't pop for you until he swiped scene after scene as Loki in 2011's "Thor." That was a crucial year in Hiddleston's career. He also appeared in Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris," Terence Davies' superb "The Deep Blue Sea," and Steven Spielberg's "War Horse." The following year, his Loki beat out the competition to become the main villain in "The Avengers," at which point he was considered a bona-fide movie star.

2026 is shaping up to be another terrific year for Hiddleston. His Broadway run as Benedick opposite Hayley Atwell's Beatrice in William Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" begins on October 31. Presuming this cast has lost none of their snap from the 2025 London production, this is going to be the must-see of the fall theatergoing season in New York City. And if you can't make it out to the Big Apple for this stage spectacle, you can kick back at home and watch Hiddleston summit Mount Everest as Sir Edmund Hillary in "Tenzing" on Apple TV.

While Hillary has long been the face of this 1953 climbing expedition, the first confirmed scaling of Everest, the heart of this achievement is Tenzing Norgay, a Nepalese Sherpa mountaineer who harbored a lifelong fascination and love for the mountain. "Tenzing," directed by Jennifer Peedom and written by Luke Davies, places the long overdue emphasis on the local hero. So, it's heartening to see that it's currently the top-rated movie on Apple TV (as reported by FlixPatrol), unseating the dopey toy car commercial "Matchbox: The Movie."

Apple TV

"Tenzing" holds a 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes, most of which praise Genden Phuntsok's portrayal of the title character. It's important to note that Jennifer Peedom and Luke Davies aren't out to diminish Hillary's efforts as some kind of historical correction. Instead, they've made a movie that shows both men to be equals. That said, it's not strictly a film about friendship. The emotional core is Tenzing's relationship with Everest and his desire to reach its peak.

Willem Dafoe co-stars as John Hunt, the leader of the expedition, while cinematographer Stefan Duscio deserves kudos for his sumptuous lensing of the region. It's a movie with a palpable epic sweep, so it's a shame that it only received a brief theatrical run. Phuntsok and Tom Hiddleston are massive long-shots to receive Academy Awards nominations, but given the film's popularity and critical praise, perhaps Apple TV can, er, mount a successful campaign. Oscar season is long and full of surprises.

For now, you should just throw on "Tenzing" and enjoy the majesty of Everest sans the frigid temperature and thin air.