Tom Hiddleston’s ‘Tenzing’ Hits Rotten Tomatoes Summit With a Career-Best Score
Mountain movies have a habit of promising awe and delivering a checklist. Stories about Everest are usually built around peril, ego and the thrill of the summit, and critics can be tough on them. That makes the early ‘Tenzing’ Rotten Tomatoes score especially interesting for a film about one of the most famous climbs in history.
The drama is directed by Jennifer Peedom and written by Luke Davies. It tells the story of the 1953 British expedition to Mount Everest, but it puts Tenzing Norgay (Genden Phuntsok) at the center of a tale that has often focused on Sir Edmund Hillary. Tom Hiddleston plays Hillary, while Willem Dafoe plays expedition leader Colonel John Hunt.
Now the first critical numbers have landed, and they are remarkable. With 13 reviews counted, ‘Tenzing‘ debuted with a perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. That makes it the highest-rated film of Hiddleston’s career on the site, ahead of ‘Archipelago’ at 96% and ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ at 93%.
The film premiered at the 53rd Telluride Film Festival on Sept. 4 before playing at the Toronto International Film Festival. Much of the praise centers on its choice to treat Tenzing as the hero. Reviewers have highlighted his spiritual bond with the mountain he calls Chomolungma, which he reveres as a sacred mother goddess while the British see it as something to conquer.
Phuntsok’s performance has drawn particular attention for its quiet, expressive quality. Critics have also pointed to the growing brotherhood between Tenzing and Hillary, two outsiders on a team defined by rank and class. Hiddleston and Dafoe have been singled out for strong supporting work, and one reviewer said Hiddleston avoids overpowering his co-star.
As always, a fresh debut score deserves a closer look. Rotten Tomatoes’ number is subject to change as more critics file reviews ahead of the October release. One outlet noted that the 100% rests on a small pool of counted reviews, and that Metacritic showed a more measured average of 65 across seven reviews, with four positive, three mixed and none negative.
Not every critic has been swept away. The Hollywood Reporter called the film broadly likable but mostly forgettable, arguing that it keeps its central characters at a reverent distance. Screen Rant’s TIFF review described it as a serviceable retelling that follows familiar sports-drama beats. Even so, that review praised both leads for doing exceptional work with limited material.
History remembers the summit, but not always the man who made it possible.
— Apple TV (@AppleTV) September 16, 2026
Based on the incredible true story of Tenzing Norgay and the first summit of Mount Everest.#Tenzing — In select theaters Oct 9 and streaming Oct 16 on Apple TV pic.twitter.com/8V4lzSWP5k
The path to the screen was not a straight climb. The film was originally developed in 2021 with Netflix and Higher Ground, Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company. Apple took worldwide rights after a bidding round at the Cannes market in May 2024, with Hiddleston and Dafoe already attached.
Peedom brings unique credentials to the material. She previously directed the BAFTA-nominated documentary ‘Sherpa,’ and she was filming it when a 2014 avalanche on Everest killed 16 Sherpa guides. Caitríona Balfe co-stars as expedition secretary Jill Henderson, and Thinley Lhamo plays Tenzing’s wife, Dawa.
‘Tenzing’ opens in select theaters on Oct. 9 before arriving on Apple TV on Oct. 16. That timing gives Hiddleston a busy few months, with his return as Loki in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ looming on the calendar. A critically acclaimed Everest drama is a strong way for the actor to remind audiences of his range.
Whether the score holds at 100% or settles lower as more reviews come in, the early buzz has clearly put ‘Tenzing’ on the awards-season radar. Peedom’s film is now one of the fall’s most talked-about releases.
Will you watch Tenzing?
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