Apple’s Tenzing Gives the Sherpa Who Summited Everest His Own Story

History books usually file the 1953 Everest ascent under Sir Edmund Hillary. Apple’s Tenzing tells it from the other side of the rope, centering Tenzing Norgay, the Sherpa who reached the summit alongside him on May 29, 1953.

Genden Phuntsok leads the film as Tenzing, with Tom Hiddleston as Hillary and Willem Dafoe as expedition leader John Hunt. Jennifer Peedom directs a script by Luke Davies.

The story

The 1953 climb anchors the film, but Peedom cuts back through Tenzing’s life, casting three actors to play him at different ages. Critics coming out of the festivals agreed that the most affecting relationship on screen is between Tenzing and the mountain itself rather than between the two men.

The cast

• Genden Phuntsok as Tenzing Norgay;
• Tom Hiddleston as Sir Edmund Hillary;
• Willem Dafoe as Colonel John Hunt;
• Caitríona Balfe as Jill Henderson;
• Thinley Lhamo as Dawa Norgay.

The filmmakers

Peedom has been here before with the documentaries Sherpa and Mountain. Davies earned an Oscar nomination for Lion. Stefan Duscio handled cinematography, Rebekka Karijord wrote the score and Simon Njoo cut the film.

The shoot started in Nepal in May 2025, in Kathmandu and around Everest, and wrapped in New Zealand on August 7. Apple Studios, See-Saw Films, India Take One and Stranger Than Fiction produced. The film runs 125 minutes.

Early reviews

Tenzing premiered at Telluride on September 4 before heading to Toronto. The Playlist found it moving but predictable, Screen Daily thought it too restrained to truly stir, AwardsWatch graded it B+ for its change of perspective, and Collider said it sets the record straight. The Metacritic score stands at 65 from seven reviews.

Release

The film opens in select theaters on October 9 and streams on Apple TV from October 16.