Love and loss in Chloé Zhao's Shakespeare drama 'Hamnet'; the return of taut thriller 'The Night Manager', and the Royal Scottish Academy kicks off a vibrant year-long programme for its 200th anniversary. Here's what to put in your diary this week.
The first full week of January tends to feel like a bit of a slog.
There's the necessary process of de-zombifying yourself after weeks of non-stop food, drinks, and sofa-rotting - not helped by that backlog of e-mails awaiting you on the return to work...
But thankfully there's also a lot to look forward to! A new year brings new opportunities, and a fresh serving of exciting cultural events and releases. Things are starting off strong with Chloé Zhao's fictionalised Shakespeare drama, Hamnet, while the second season of The Night Manager is ideal hibernation TV.
2026 is also a year that marks several important cultural anniversaries, including the 10th anniversary of David Bowie's death, the 50th anniversary of Agatha Christie's death, the 60th anniversary of Star Trek, and the 200th anniversary of the Royal Scottish Academy's founding - the latter of which has devised a vibrant and diverse year-long programme of events in celebration.
And if you want to get an early start on filling your calendar, then do check out our guides to the art shows, movies and music coming out in 2026 that we're most excited about.
Until next time, here are this week's highlights.
Exhibitions
Sverre Malling
When: 10 January-7 February 2026
Where: Kristin Hjellegjerde (London, UK)
Wispy and wondrous, the images of Norwegian artist Sverre Malling reconstruct our notions of history through fantastical and frequently haunting worlds. From tender masculinity to animalistic surrealism, his latest presentation - 'At The Mistress' Request' -exemplifies the scope of Malling's practice, along with his uncanny ability to merge disorientating darkness with captivating charm. He also utilises the spirit of marginalised figures, subtly re-negotiating pre-existing perspectives on art history.
RSA200
When: Throughout 2026
Where: Royal Scottish Academy (Edinburgh, Scotland)
The Royal Scottish Academy (RSA) is Scotland's oldest artist-led institution, championing contemporary artists and architects since 1826. To mark its 200th anniversary, a special year-long celebration has just begun, bringing creative communities together in a major showcase of exhibitions, performances, talks and more. Not only does it shine a spotlight on Scotland's diverse talents, but also connects their works to the institution's vibrant past that will continue to shape the future.
Bonus highlight: Many of the great exhibitions we’ve previously mentioned in this digest are still running - some of which can be found in our 2025 round-up here.
Movies
Hamnet
Where: Cinemas
When: 9 January
This highly-anticipated new feature from Nomadland director Chloé Zhao is a fictionalised re-telling of William Shakespeare's (Paul Mescal) family life, exploring the bard's relationship with wife Agnes Hathaway (Jessie Buckley) and the loss of their young son, Hamnet (Jacobi Jupe). Through the lenses of grief and love, Zhao explores trauma's ripple effects on relationships and creativity; the Maggie O'Farrell novel she adapted suggesting that Hamnet's death inspired Shakespeare to write Hamlet.
As a (bad) bard might surmise: Beautiful and bleak, it's a visual treat that will make you weep, weep, weep.
Bonus highlight: Kate Hudson and Hugh Jackman star in Song Sung Blue, an uplifting musical about a Neil Diamond tribute band that’s out at cinemas now.
TV series
The Night Manager Season 2
Where: Prime Video
When: 11 January
The UK's critically acclaimed Night Manager series returns after a ten year hiatus, starring Tom Hiddleston as a soldier-turned-hotel manager-turned secret spy named Jonathan Pine. Based on John le Carré's 1993 novel of the same name, we pick up nine years after the events of season 1. Pine, now living under the name Alex Goodwin and working for MI6, is living a relatively stable existence - until a chance sighting linked to his old nemesis, arm's dealer Richard Roper, sets in motion another onslaught of intrigue, chaos, and tense thrills.
Bonus highlight: The 83rd edition of the annual Golden Globe awards will take place on 11 January (in the early hours of the morning of 12 January for Europeans). Those outside of the US will need a VPN to watch live on Paramount+ or YouTube TV.
Music
Dry Cleaning: 'Secret Love'
When: 9 January
British four-piece band Dry Cleaning brought an exhilarating new sound to post-punk with their 2021 debut 'New Long Leg', followed by the Grammy-winning 'Stumpwork'. Known for their sharp observations of life's surreal mundanities - delivered with delectable deadpan - their latest release brings a fresh dose of eccentricity, poeticism, and thematic snarl that takes a bite out of our age of disillusionment and misinformation.
Bonus highlight: A reminder to check out our Best Music of 2025 list while we wait for 2026 to deliver more sonic goods!
