'Tenzing': Apple Announces Feature Film on Tenzing Norgay's Historic Everest Expedition

Apple TV has announced it will release an original feature film, Tenzing, based on true events and the extraordinary story of the first two people to successfully climb and summit Mount Everest. The film will be released on the platform on October 16, followed by its theatrical release just a week before, on October 9.

Directed by Australian filmmaker Jennifer Peedom, Tenzing stars Genden Phuntsok, Tom Hiddleston, Caitríona Balfe and Willem Dafoe in pivotal roles.

The film tells the story of Nepalese-Indian Himalayan climber Tenzing Norgay (Phuntsok), who after being encouraged by his wife Dawa (played by Thinley Lhamo), finds a companion, Edmund Hillary (Hiddleston), who joins him in his expedition to summit Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world.

The film's synopsis reads, “Where Western climbers see Everest as something to be conquered, Tenzing reveres Chomolungma as the sacred mother goddess. What follows is an ascent defined as much by the tensions between backgrounds, classes and competing ambitions as by the perils of the mountain itself.”

Peedom is a BAFTA and Emmy-nominated filmmaker who has also produced other work in this genre, covering stories that explore the deeply human side of exploration. Some of her films include Sherpa (2015), Mountain (2017), River (2021) and Deeper (2025).

Tenzing is written by Luke Davies, and is produced by him, Peedom, Liz Watts and Emile Sherman.