Marvel's latest movie has earned the highest MCU critic score since Spider-Man: No Way Home. Since the end of Phase 3 in 2019, Marvel has struggled to earn high-end critics scores on a consistent basis.
Thunderbolts* has received an 89% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the highest-rated MCU film in years. The rating positions Thunderbolts* among the MCU's most critically acclaimed entries, giving the studio a major win heading into the summer.
With its 89% score, Thunderbolts* outperforms recent successful MCU entries like Deadpool & Wolverine, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Here's a look at the full MCU Rotten Tomatoes critics score list since 2022:
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness - 74%
- Thor: Love and Thunder - 63%
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - 84%
- Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania - 46%
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 - 82%
- The Marvels - 62%
- Deadpool & Wolverine - 78%
- Captain America: Brave New World - 48%
The rating signals renewed critical confidence in the MCU, especially following Captain America 4 falling on its face with critics (and most fans) this past February. The strong performance of Thunderbolts* places it alongside MCU highlights such as Doctor Strange (89%) Captain America: Civil War (90%), and Spider-Man: Far From Home (91%).
At this time, with reviews hot off the presses, Thunderbolts* looks to be 14th ranked MCU movie based on the Tomatometer:
- 96% - Black Panther
- 94% - Avengers: Endgame & Iron Man
- 93% - Thor: Ragnarok & Spider-Man: No Way Home
- 92% - Spider-Man: Homecoming, Shang-Chi, & Guardians of the Galaxy
- 91% - Spider-Man: Far From Home & The Avengers
- 90% - Captain America: Civil War & Captain America: The Winter Soldier
- 89% - Doctor Strange & Thunderbolts*
In the 2020s, only Shang-Chi and No Way Home reached the 90% mark on the popular review-aggregation website. Even though many movie fans like to complain about Rotten Tomatoes or claim that its rating system "doesn't matter," it's the most popular website for average moviegoers to use to determine whether or not a movie is good.
Thunderbolts* brings together a team of antiheroes from past films and Disney series forced to work together without the hope of the Avengers showing up. Directed by Jake Schreier, the movie stars Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, David Harbour, and more. Releasing in theaters on May 2, Thunderbolts* hopes to cause a rumble at the box office to kick off the summer season.
Thunderbolts Is the Perfect MCU Movie To Be Good
With an 89% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, Thunderbolts* is shaping up to be a crowd-pleaser, and that's exactly what Marvel Studios needs right now. While financial success is always important, critical acclaim is arguably more vital for this release, especially in the wake of Captain America: Brave New World, which earned over $400 million globally but was widely panned by critics. That disappointing start to 2025 left Marvel searching for momentum.
More than just a standalone film, Thunderbolts* serves as a key building block for the Multiverse Saga's larger narrative. Many of its characters are already confirmed to return in Avengers: Doomsday, set for summer 2026, making this film a crucial tone-setter.
Kevin Feige needs audiences to walk away from Thunderbolts* feeling confident in the direction of the MCU, especially with The Fantastic Four: First Steps arriving in late July, the next major team-up, and the final MCU release before Doomsday. If Thunderbolts* builds goodwill, it increases the odds that Fantastic Four lands big at the box office, helping secure the foundation for what Marvel hopes will be its next major franchise.
