The sun might be shining and outdoor gatherings calling, but if you’re looking for an excuse to stay in the shade, we’ve got you covered.
First, choose your fighter at the cinema with the release of video game adaptation Mortal Kombat II. Inflated drama and fun action in the name of defeating an evil tyrant that’s intent on world destruction? Sure, why not.
Netflix users can look forward to crime thriller Legends, while those in the UK get not one, but two David Attenborough specials in honour of the broadcasting icon’s 100th birthday.
A number of big new album releases also stand-out – Little Simz and Broken Social Scene among them. “Alexa, play ‘Anthems for a Seventeen Year‐Old Girl’ again!”
Of course, the main event this week is the Venice Biennale, one of the world’s biggest art and architecture festivals that begins on 9 May. This year’s programme includes a wealth of fascinating exhibitions under the theme of ‘In Minor Keys’ – and that’s not all. Those lucky enough to be attending can also visit Marina Abramović’s reflective and enriching new show at the Gallerie dell’Accademia.
Until next time, here are this week’s recommendations.
Exhibitions
Marina Abramović: ‘Transforming Energy’
Marina Abramović’s exhibition ‘Transforming Energy’. – ©Yu Jieyu
When: 6 May – 19 October 2026
Where: Gallerie dell’Accademia (Venice, Italy)
Presented during the Venice Biennale, this exhibition marks the upcoming 80th birthday of legendary performance artist Marina Abramović. Through a series of interactive objects, including stone beds and structures embedded in crystals, visitors are invited to contemplate the material and immaterial as portals towards spiritual reckoning. It also features some of Abramović’s most famous older works, including Light/Dark (1977), Balkan Baroque (1997), and Carrying the Skeleton (2008); scattered alongside projections of her early performances and newer works. Together, these form a collective re-appraisal of the artist’s endlessly evolving and always boundary-pushing career.
Baroque brilliance: Zurbarán
Francisco de Zurbarán, ‘Christ and the Virgin in the House at Nazareth’. – The Cleveland Museum of Art, Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund 1960.116
When: Until 23 August 2026
Where: The National Gallery (London, UK)
Spanish Baroque painter Francisco de Zurbarán was best known for his vivid religious paintings and dramatic use of Caravaggio-esque light contrasts. From the crucifixion of Jesus to solitary nuns, his works have a searing realism that’s timeless in its emotive powers. Many major galleries from across Europe and the United States have contributed to The National Gallery’s collection, making it one of the most comprehensive public displays of Zurbarán’s works yet.
Bonus highlight: A new exhibition titled ‘Nature is not a décor’ compares Claude Monet’s visionary landscapes with ten contemporary artists. It runs at the Maison Caillebotte in Yerres, France, from 8 May until 18 October 2026.
Related
Movies
Mortal Kombat II
Where: Cinemas
When: 8 May
One of the most popular fighting games of all time, ‘Mortal Kombat’ was originally developed for arcades in 1992 then grew into a billion dollar media empire. Following the first movie adaptation in 2023, this sequel features all the fan favourite characters, including actor/martial artist Johnny Cage (Karl Urban), who must battle one another to prevent evil ruler Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford) taking over the world.
Video games rarely translate well to the big screen, but at least audience members will know what to expect with this one: goofy melodrama, fantastical CGI settings and non-stop action. Just please, no real-life fighting in the cinema.
Bonus highlights: Billie Eilish’s immersive Hit Me Hard and Soft – The Tour Live in 3D, directed and produced by James Cameron, hits cinemas on 8 May.
TV series
Legends
Where: Netflix
When: 7 May
A team of British Customs agents attempt to infiltrate violent drug gangs in this high-tension, 90s-set Netflix drama. Starring Steve Coogan (I’m Alan Partridge), Tom Burke (Black Bag), and Hayley Squires (Beau Is Afraid), it’s based on true events and depicts a gritty underworld of drug smuggling, fake identities and escalating threats. At six episodes only, it’s also perfect binge material for lovers of crime thrillers.
Bonus highlight: Two programmes celebrating British broadcasting legend David Attenborough’s 100th birthday are set to air on the 3 and 8 May on BBC1 in the United Kingdom: Making Life on Earth: Attenborough’s Greatest Adventure and David Attenborough’s 100 Years on Planet Earth.
Related
Music
Broken Social Scene: Remember the Humans
When: 8 May
A new Broken Social Scene album is always a rare treat. The Canadian indie-rock collective have only released six albums since 2001, with almost a decade passing since their last. Led by Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning, the band’s other members change every time, with ‘Remember the Humans’ featuring guest vocals from Feist, Lisa Lobsinger, Ariel Engle. This alternating, collaborative approach is what makes Broken Social Scene so exciting to listen to. Their unique communal sound is a chaos of orchestra and melody that might not be for everyone, but promises to never be boring.
Bonus highlights: There’s lots of exciting music releases this week, including The Lemon Twigs’ ‘Look for Your Mind!’ Lykke Li’s ‘The Afterparty’ and a new EP by Little Simz titled ‘Sugar Girl’.
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