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

Letitia Wright in Black Panther Wakanda ForeverDisney/Marvel

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.

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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.

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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.

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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:

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