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

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