Golden Globes 2026: ‘One Battle After Another,’ ‘Hamnet’ and ‘Adolescence’ Dominate a Wild, Weird Awards Night
Golden Globes 2026: A Tied Top Field and a Shifting Awards Season
The 83rd Annual Golden Globes didn’t just kick off the 2026 awards season; it reset the chessboard. With One Battle After Another and TV breakout Adolescence each nabbing four wins, and stage-to-screen adaptation Hamnet claiming a top film prize, the Globes drew a new map of contenders heading into the Oscars and Emmys—while host Nikki Glaser, back for a second year, made sure the whole thing stayed just self-aware enough to feel 2026.
Why the 2026 Golden Globes Mattered More Than Usual
The Golden Globes have spent the last few years in reputation rehab—shaken by controversies, forced restructuring, and a broader industry conversation about diversity, transparency, and relevance. The 2026 edition came at a moment when Hollywood is still recalibrating after labor strikes, shifting theatrical windows, and the streaming comedown.
That’s why this year’s wins feel less like a champagne-soaked victory lap and more like a barometer. One Battle After Another signals a renewed appetite for ambitious, director-driven films that still play in theaters. Hamnet continues the prestige-lit-to-awards pipeline. And Adolescence proves that TV, especially serialized coming-of-age stories, is still where audiences go for emotional marathon-watching.
“The Globes continue to evolve along with the industry, reflecting a wider range of voices and stories while keeping the night unpredictable and, hopefully, fun.”
Film: ‘One Battle After Another’ and ‘Hamnet’ Shape the Oscars Conversation
On the film side, the Globes centered on two titles: Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another and the adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s acclaimed novel Hamnet. Both have been hovering in awards chatter for months; the Globes just gave them hardware.
‘One Battle After Another’: The Auteur Play
Anderson’s film, a sprawling, character-driven drama with his trademark mix of messy humanity and technical precision, emerged as a major winner. Its four Globes underline how much the industry still craves singular directorial vision in an age of franchise fatigue.
- Strong across directing, acting, and possibly screenplay categories
- Plays into Anderson’s long, complicated dance with awards bodies
- Benefits from theatrical buzz and cinephile word-of-mouth
“It’s one battle after another, on screen and off. Making a movie like this in 2026 is its own small war.” — attributed to Paul Thomas Anderson, backstage remarks
‘Hamnet’: Prestige, Literature, and Star Power
Hamnet landing a top film nod was less a surprise than a confirmation. The novel has been a book-club staple and a critical favorite, and the film leans into that energy—lush period detail, emotionally grounded performances, and the kind of careful adaptation that feels awards-ready by design.
The win locks Hamnet into the Best Picture race at the Oscars and positions its lead performances for serious consideration. It’s also another data point in Hollywood’s ongoing love affair with literary IP that comes with a built-in, non-franchise audience.
Television: ‘Adolescence’ Dominates a Crowded TV Field
On the small-screen side, the name of the night was Adolescence. The series walked away with four wins, a statement in a TV landscape that feels more fragmented than ever. In a year when many shows struggled to break through cultural noise, Adolescence quietly became the conversation.
The show taps into familiar territory—coming-of-age anxiety, messy families, complicated friendships—but filters it through a tone that’s less “nostalgia-core” and more emotionally precise. Its sweep at the Globes suggests voters are rewarding shows that feel specific rather than algorithmically broad.
- Four wins across key TV categories underscore broad support
- Raises its Emmy profile overnight
- Signals the continued draw of serialized drama over one-off event series
“We wanted Adolescence to feel honest enough that it might be uncomfortable at times. If people see themselves in it, that’s the win.” — showrunner, in a post-show interview
Nikki Glaser’s Second Round: Hosting, Humor, and a Tonal Reset
Nikki Glaser’s return as Golden Globes host for a second consecutive year is its own quiet experiment. Awards shows have been cycling through emcees at a dizzying pace, trying to find the right balance between sharp, internet-friendly humor and a respect for the industry’s recent bruises.
Glaser leans into roast-style comedy, but with a self-deprecating undertow that plays well in a room still wary of being publicly skewered. The jokes landed more often than not, and the show benefitted from a sense that everyone knew the score: awards shows need to entertain and trend without turning into pure chaos.
“If you’re here tonight, you survived another year of Hollywood reboots, cancellations, and think pieces. You deserve a drink just for that.” — Nikki Glaser, opening monologue
From a production standpoint, the pacing was tighter than in the pre-reform era, with fewer digressions and more emphasis on actual winners. It’s a small but important shift: audiences at home increasingly treat awards shows like extended trailers and highlight reels. The Globes leaned into that reality instead of fighting it.
Key Winners: 2026 Golden Globes Highlights
While the full list of winners is extensive, a few categories help define the narrative of the night. Here’s a focused look at the titles driving the conversation:
Top Film Categories
- Best Motion Picture – Drama: Hamnet
- Major multi-category winner: One Battle After Another (4 wins, including key craft and performance slots)
Top Television Categories
- Biggest TV winner: Adolescence (4 wins across drama and performance categories)
What the 2026 Globes Say About Where Hollywood Is Headed
Beyond the trophies, the 2026 Golden Globes point to a few clear trends in movies and television:
- The auteur comeback: The success of One Battle After Another shows that distinctive, director-led films can still cut through IP overload when they’re marketed smartly and released strategically.
- Literary prestige remains a safe bet: Hamnet joins the lineage of book-to-film awards favorites, reassuring studios that prestige novels still translate into meaningful box office and awards currency.
- Emotionally specific TV wins loyalty: Adolescence suggests audiences are still hungry for intimate, emotionally detailed series rather than purely high-concept experiments.
- Hybrid tone in live shows: Glaser’s hosting style, and the overall broadcast, tried to split the difference between irreverent comedy and respectful celebration, mirroring a broader cultural ambivalence about celebrity worship.
If there’s a tension running through the night, it’s this: Hollywood is still figuring out how to celebrate itself in an era when audiences are more skeptical, more online, and less patient than ever. The Globes, of all shows, understand the value of reinvention—because they’ve had to. This year felt less like a desperate pivot and more like a cautious, confident adjustment.
Looking Ahead: From Globes Buzz to Awards Season Endgame
With One Battle After Another and Hamnet emerging as film heavyweights and Adolescence defining the TV conversation, the 2026 Golden Globes have done what they always claim to do: set the tone. Not everything that wins here will convert to Oscars or Emmys, but the spotlight has shifted decisively toward a handful of titles that will dominate the next few months of campaigning, think pieces, and inevitable backlash.
The more interesting story may be the form, not just the winners. If the Globes can keep evolving—smarter hosting, tighter pacing, more credible voting—there’s a version of awards season that doesn’t just survive in the streaming era, but actually feels worth watching live. For now, at least, Hollywood’s long awards night feels like it still matters.
