Black Panther 2 ranks 3rd in MCU Phase 4, according to Rotten Tomatoes

Chris Tilly
Letitia Wright in Black Panther Wakanda Forever

The reviews are in, the scores have been counted, and Black Panther 2 isn’t as good as Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings or Spider-Man: No Way Home, according to critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever hit screens worldwide today, with box office analysts expecting a huge opening weekend for the superhero sequel.

The film is following in the footsteps of the first Black Panther, which was a bog office phenomenon, grossing a whopping $1.3 billion theatrically.

As well as being a commercial smash, the original was a critical hit, earning a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Which is 10% more than the 86% that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever currently holds. But how does that compare to the other films released in this “Phase” of the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

Rotten Tomatoes scores for MCU Phase 4 movies, including Black Panther 2

Thanks to the global shutdown resulting in cinemas closing and production being delayed, Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has seen seven films released in just two years.

The period kicked off with Black Widow at the start of 2021, and concludes with Black Panther 2 at the end of 2022. The quality of the movies during this time has been mixed, with Eternals at the bottom of the scale with 47%, and Spider-Man: No Way Home at the top with 93%.

Here’s the full Rotten Tomatoes list

  • 93% Spider-Man: No Way Home
  • 91% Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
  • 86%: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
  • 74%: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
  • 64%: Thor: Love and Thunder
  • 47%: Eternals

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever sits just above the middle with 86%, a slightly higher rating – comparatively – than the 3/5 which we gave the movie in our review, which can be read here.

Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase 4 TV scores

For comparison’s sake, this is how Marvel’s TV output has fared on Rotten Tomatoes during Phase 4, with all of these shows streaming on Disney+.

  • 97%: Ms. Marvel
  • 94%: What If…?
  • 92%: Hawkeye
  • 92%: Loki
  • 91%: WandaVision
  • 90%: Werewolf by Night (TV Special)
  • 86%: Moon Knight
  • 85%: SheHulk: Attorney at Law
  • 84%: The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

The TV efforts have generally reviewed better than the movies during this period. Indeed, if Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was placed on this list, it would be near the bottom, neck-and-neck with Moon Knight, and just above She Hulk: Attorney at Law.

You can check out more of our Black Panther 2 coverage below:

Dexerto’s 3-star review of the movie | How does T’Challa die in the MCU? | Who is the new Black Panther? | Is there a post-credit scene? | Riri Williams explained | Namor explained

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About The Author

Chris Tilly is the TV and Movies Editor at Dexerto. He has a BA in English Literature, an MA in Newspaper Journalism, and over the last 20 years, he's worked for the likes of Time Out, IGN, and Fandom. Chris loves Star Wars, Marvel, DC, sci-fi, and especially horror, while he knows maybe too much about Alan Partridge. You can email him here: chris.tilly@dexerto.com.