Marvel Studios' Phase 5 slate has concluded, with fans now looking back on the latest slate's results and how they compare to one another. Starting in early 2023 and running through Spring 2025, Marvel hoped to deliver a more consistent trend of success after Phase 4 had plenty of ups and downs to kick off the Multiverse Saga. While there were a few huge hits, the MCU found itself with another round of mixed results across the board.
Ahead are the average Tomatometer scores for each movie and Disney+ show released within Phase 5 of the MCU, ranked from lowest to highest. In total, Marvel released 16 movies and seasons of Disney+ programming between February 2023 and July 2025, including multiple sequels and a select few projects featuring characters never seen in the MCU before. All 16 entries (apart from Thunderbolts*) are streaming on Disney+.
Every Phase 5 MCU Movie Ranked by Rotten Tomatoes Score
Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania - 46% Tomatometer (81% Popcornmeter)
Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania kicked off Phase 5 in theaters on February 17, 2023, directed by Peyton Reed and starring Paul Rudd (Scott Lang), Evangeline Lilly (Hope Van Dyne), Michael Douglas (Hank Pym), and Jonathan Majors (Kang the Conqueror). The story focused on the Ant-Man team's journey to the Quantum Realm, where they encounter the villainous Kang and learn about the early stages of his plans to conquer every possible universe.
While Ant-Man 3 earned praise for its use of Kang and occasional VFX shots, fans did not feel the film's story was realized as well as it could have been. Partially due to its short 2-hour-5-minute runtime, like many other recent MCU movies, the plot felt rushed and tried to include too many plot details. Additionally, this led to the film's characters not all getting the fleshed-out stories they may have deserved, especially in cases like Bill Murray's Lord Krylar.
More than anything else, however, fans had issues with some of the lackluster visual effects (especially for MODOK) and some of the overuse of comedy in certain situations. In a movie that already felt lacking in terms of stakes compared to what was expected, a few of the jokes did not land the way Reed and co. hoped they would, even for a more comedic character like Ant-Man.
Ranking as the lowest-rated movie of the Ant-Man trilogy (along with the lowest-grossing Ant-Man film in theaters at $476 million globally), Quantumania did not kick off Phase 5 the way fans hoped it would.
Captain America: Brave New World - 48% Tomatometer (77% Popcornmeter)
2025 kicked off with Captain America: Brave New World, the fourth Captain America movie and the first for Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson, on February 14. Also featuring Harrison Ford (President Ross), Tim Blake Nelson (the Leader), Danny Ramirez (Joaquin Torres), and Giancarlo Esposito (Sidewinder), Sam is tasked with rebuilding the Avengers before an attempt on the President's life takes Captain America down a wild path and unveils secrets not touched in years.
Looking at the positives, most of the cast put forth excellent performances, with Mackie proving he can help carry the MCU to greatness for years to come as Captain America. Along with the political intrigue and some exciting action sequences, this makes for an entertaining (if short) watch during the movie's 1-hour-58-minute runtime.
However, that short runtime made for a somewhat overstuffed movie, especially in a plot that spent much of its time revisiting plot threads that started in 2008's The Incredible Hulk. Outside of some noticeable green screen issues and script problems (coming from multiple rewrites), the sequel's biggest crime, arguably, was not making the story feel enough like it belonged to Captain America instead of tying up so many other loose ends from across the MCU.
While the film's low Rotten Tomatoes scores and box office numbers ($415 million gross worldwide) seem to overstate its issues, it is still seen as one of the weaker movies in the usually strong Captain America saga.
The Marvels - 62% Tomatometer (79% Popcornmeter)
One of the MCU's most divisive films ever came with Nia DaCosta's The Marvels on November 10, 2023. Behind Brie Larson's Captain Marvel, Teyonah Parris' Monica Rambeau, Iman Vellani's Kamala Khan, and Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury, the film united the three titular heroes against the Kree leader Dar-Benn, who hoped to bring stability back to her world after Carol destroyed the Supreme Intelligence.
In 1 hour and 45 minutes (the MCU's shortest runtime ever), Marvel does a fairly decent job of telling a streamlined story with plenty of fun elements in the plot. The chemistry between the three leads is excellent, the humor and action both land, and the film sets up plenty of thrilling threads to follow up on in future Multiverse Saga projects.
However, this MCU sequel garnered plenty of criticism from fans after its release. Some of the most notable issues were Zawe Ashton's underdeveloped villain, its formulaic plot, and more than a few issues with CGI and editing. Fans also felt the film pandered to women too often, and the tone did not match the severity of the moment on multiple occasions.
Finishing its run as the lowest-grossing movie in MCU history at the box office ($206.1 million worldwide), even for all The Marvels had going for it, it still ranks as one of the MCU's few big disappointments.
Deadpool & Wolverine - 78% Tomatometer (94% Popcornmeter)
Unquestionably, the biggest success of Phase 5 came with Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman's efforts in Deadpool & Wolverine, directed by Shawn Levy. Bringing the legacy heroes into the MCU, the film highlighted Deadpool's efforts to save his universe from annihilation by the TVA by finding a new anchor being, Jackman's Wolverine, while working his way through The Void.
Coming as the MCU's first R-rated movie, fans could not get enough of the adult-oriented humor splattered across Deadpool & Wolverine's 2-hour-10-minute runtime and appreciated the heart that came with that as well. Additionally, the legacy characters included alongside the leads made for a nostalgic look back at the past while embracing the nature of the Multiverse Saga.
While complaints were few and far between for the movie, some felt the overreliance on the R-rated themes took away from some of the more meaningful story points, as did a few of the jokes. Some fans also did not feel as happy with the various legacy actors brought back, with complaints that they did not add much to the greater story.
Overall, Deadpool & Wolverine was one of Marvel's biggest successes ever, grossing $1.3 billion and becoming the highest-grossing R-rated movie in history while earning excellent reviews.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 - 82% Tomatometer (94% Popcornmeter)
Phase 5's second movie, James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, is widely regarded as one of the MCU's best projects ever. Starring the original five Guardians stars along with Will Poulter (Adam Warlock), Chukwudi Iwuji (the High Evolutionary), and Maria Bakalova (Cosmo the Space Dog), the team is tasked with saving Rocket Raccoon's life after an attack as they revisit his past and how he came to be.
All things considered, Guardians 3 is one of the most universally beloved movies in MCU history, with many ranking it as the best of the trilogy and one of Marvel Studios' best movies overall. It delivered one of the saddest and most heartfelt plots in MCU history while solidifying the family dynamic between the main cast and sending them off on their own adventures to help close off one of the MCU's best trilogies.
Some viewers only complained that the movie may have gone a little too hard on the theme of animal cruelty, particularly with the experiments the High Evolutionary performed on lower life forms. While this did a lot to up the stakes and the emotion, there were moments where a segment of viewers felt it was taken too far.
However, this was not enough to prevent Guardians 3 from being successful. It earned impressive reviews and grossed $845.6 million at the global box office (less than $20 million behind Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2).
Thunderbolts* - 88% Tomatometer (93% Popcornmeter)
Phase 5 of the MCU's theatrical slate closed out with Thunderbolts*, giving the MCU its first Phase without an Avengers movie (until the title was revealed to be The New Avengers). Led by Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova and featuring Sebastian Stan's Bucky Barnes, David Harbour's Red Guardian, Lewis Pullman's Sentry, and more, this movie highlighted the efforts of a ragtag team of misfits joining forces to take down Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, all while combatting one of the most powerful villains in MCU history (Sentry).
Using a unique tone never quite seen in the MCU, Thunderbolts* became a surprising hit for Marvel Studios, earning particular praise for Pugh, Harbour, and Pullman's performances. Giving the story a sense of emotion, groundedness, and thematic maturity, it provided a deep look at mental health and emotional well-being while delivering some fun action sequences and classic MCU humor.
The only major complaint about Thunderbolts* was that its short runtime did not allow for all of its cast to get the treatment that heroes like Yelena and Bob Reynolds did. Other than that, fans did not have much to complain about for the MCU's final Phase 5 movie, which was described as a breath of fresh air compared to many of its predecessors.
Unfortunately, while Thunderbolts* was one of the MCU's best-reviewed movies ever, that did not translate to the box office, as it only grossed $382 million worldwide.
Every Phase 5 MCU Disney+ Show Ranked by Rotten Tomatoes Score
Secret Invasion - 53% Tomatometer (43% Popcornmeter)
Released in June 2023, Secret Invasion adapted the classic Marvel Comics story detailing the Skrull's invasion and takeover of parts of Earth. Behind Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury and Ben Mendelsohn's Talos (along with supporting cast members like Emilia Clarke's G'iah), Fury returns to Earth after an extended absence and learns of the Skrulls' efforts, teaming up with Talos to stop them.
By most accounts, Secret Invasion is regarded as one of the most disappointing projects in Marvel Studios' history, coming with a lower Tomatometer score than every other MCU Disney+ series released. Although some of the action was fairly cool and its darker tone lent well to the story, this show had serious issues from start to finish.
Most noticeably, fans felt the plot and reveals provided in the show were predictable, specifically in moments such as James Rhodes being revealed as a Skrull. Additionally, director Ali Selim confirmed that Rhodey had been a Skrull since 2016's Captain America: Civil War, rendering many of his Phase 3 and 4 moments underwhelming after that news. Combine all that with mistimed plot decisions and a rushed story, all amidst high expectations, and it was almost impossible for Secret Invasion to become a hit.
Unfortunately, however, the series did not do much to avoid being remembered as one of Marvel Studios' few true critical failures.
Echo - 70% Tomatometer (59% Popcornmeter)
Utilizing a five-episode run and the first R-rating for an MCU Disney+ show, Echo arrived on both Disney+ and Hulu in a binge drop in January 2024. Featuring Alaqua Cox (Maya Lopez), Charlie Cox (Daredevil), Devery Jacobs (Bonnie), and Vincent D'Onofrio, the series shows Maya returning to her hometown to connect with her Native American roots, while also exploring her tragic past and the events that killed her family.
Echo earned a great deal of praise for the work put in by Alaqua Cox, the MCU's first deaf leading star, and the gritty and grounded tone that reminded fans of Netflix's Defenders saga. Combined with impressive action sequences and a well-utilized exploration of Maya's disability and cultural background, there was a lot to celebrate from these five episodes.
Unfortunately, especially in the back half of the season, there did not seem to be much emphasis on character development outside a couple of the main leading actors. Additionally, there was a slight disconnect or separation between the cultural Native American plot points and the rest of the story, and some of the editing/technical choices received some criticism as well.
While Echo was far from perfect, it made a great effort to flesh out a new MCU character while adding a new dimension of adventures to the greater franchise lore.
What If…? Season 3 - 80% Tomatometer (33% Popcornmeter)
Concluding the MCU's first-ever trilogy on Disney+, What If...? Season 3 helped close out the year for Marvel Studios in December 2024. Led by Jeffrey Wright's Watcher and dozens of MCU actors reprising their live-action roles in animation, the series took multiple stories from Phases 1-5 and reimagined them with slightly different plot details.
The third and final season of What If...? earned praise for its improved animation in action and character designs. It was also lauded for bringing engaging new storylines to the forefront to explore the multiverse further. Embracing the wild side of the Marvel pathos, the voice cast all gave impressive performances with new takes on their characters, making for a particularly enjoyable watch with short and quick episodes.
However, on the negative side, some fans did not feel the storylines or characters were given enough time to develop or be fleshed out as fully as they could have been. Combine that with the slightly confusing story arc for the entire season, and that presented some viewers with some challenges in completing the final season.
Given the noticeable improvements What If...? made over its three years of work, the last season seemed to be the show's crown jewel. Marvel is looking to improve its animated slate from here.
Loki Season 2 - 82% Tomatometer (82% Popcornmeter)
2023's final live-action series was the second season of Loki, bringing back Tom Hiddleston for six new episodes centered on the God of Mischief. Next to Sophia Di Martino's Sylvie, Owen Wilson's Mobius, and Jonathan Majors' Victor Timely, this season focuses on Team Loki's attempts to fix the Temporal Loom and stop the timeline of the multiverse from unraveling and destroying reality.
Most of the fandom agreed on Loki Season 2 being one of Marvel's best live-action projects on Disney+, largely thanks to Hiddleston's continually excellent work as the character he made world-famous in 2011. This season also delivered the most heartfelt and meaningful finale Marvel Studios has released to date.
Loki Season 2 continues the story of Loki as he navigates the expanding multiverse and grapples with his role in its fate. After the events of Season 1, Loki experiences time-slipping, finding himself at different points in TVA's history. He and his allies must work together to fix the Temporal Loom, which is threatening to unravel the multiverse. The season culminates in Loki taking on the role of protector of the multiverse, sacrificing himself to hold the timelines together and prevent a multiversal war.
This season took everything that happened in its past episodes and improved upon it, making for one of the most highly celebrated projects in recent MCU memory.
What If…? Season 2 - 87% Tomatometer (62% Popcornmeter)
Coming in December 2023, What If...? Season 2 delivered a new set of nine alternate-reality stories from the MCU's past, all in an animated format. Behind Jeffrey Wright's narration as the Watcher, almost a dozen past MCU movies were revisited and reimagined this season, including Nebula joining the Nova Corps, Captain Carter fighting the Hydra Stomper, and fans being introduced to an original character named Kahhori.
While Season 1 focused solely on the Infinity Saga, Season 2 gained praise for exploring alternate stories from Phase 4 and beyond, offering unique and unexpected teamups between MCU characters. New genres also took the spotlight, including a Die Hard spoof starring Happy Hogan and Justin Hammer.
However, there were negatives to point out for everything good in this new season. Even with a few new characters introduced, most of the episodes centered on familiar faces from Season 1, who were all seen in the Infinity Saga. Additionally, the animation style did not land on occasion, and much of the writing left much to be desired.
In summation, What If...? Season 2 improved from what Season 1 did in 2021, even considering some issues.
Agatha All Along - 84% Tomatometer (83% Popcornmeter)
Agatha All Along was Marvel's Halloween-inspired project in September and October 2024. It featured Kathryn Hahn's Agatha Harkness, who returned after WandaVision. The show brought back much of the WandaVision cast and introduced Joe Locke's Billy Maximoff and Aubrey Plaza's Death. It featured Agatha breaking out of the spell that kept her in Westview before she went down the Witches' Road to regain her lost powers.
While this series did not see the same success as WandaVision did, fans thoroughly enjoyed Hahn's work as the titular witch and the work her castmates put in. The catchy music and witchy themes were a hit for fans, and with theories coming to the forefront every week about what was coming next, this had a WandaVision-esque impact on the fandom when looking at the discussion surrounding its efforts.
Unfortunately, some of the inconsistencies with the show's characters and plots, along with underdeveloped supporting characters, held Agatha back from gaining the success that other Disney+ shows have. Other critiques included the show's lack of a true villain and the way Billy seemed to forgive Agatha for everything she'd done, leaving many dissatisfied with the ending.
The story still did plenty to get fans excited for what's ahead, including a Young Avengers-related project and the upcoming Vision Quest show that will finish this unique Disney+ trilogy.
Ironheart - 86% Tomatometer (55% Popcornmeter)
Finishing off Phase 5 in late June and early July was Ryan Coogler's Ironheart, highlighting Riri Williams following her debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Starring Dominique Thorne (Riri Williams), Anthony Ramos (The Hood), Alden Ehrenreich (Joe McGillicuddy), and Lyric Ross (Natalie), the show features Riri in her return to her hometown of Chicago after studying at MIT, all while learning what it takes to be a hero in the MCU.
As is the case with many MCU Disney+ shows, Ironheart received praise for Dominique Thorne's work as the leading heroine, along with many of her castmates. Additionally, the story explores real human themes like grief, healing, and finding one's own identity, giving fans something grounded that they can relate to from start to finish.
However, some problems held the show back from being even better, such as pacing and stakes, which often made most of the material feel like a setup. Even after bringing one of the biggest reveals and characters in recent MCU memory in its final episodes, fans are still waiting to see where exactly Riri is going on her greater hero's journey in the MCU.
Closing out Phase 5 with a fairly strong performance, especially for a newer character, Ironheart should have the MCU excited for this corner of the MCU throughout the rest of the Multiverse Saga.
Daredevil: Born Again - 87% Tomatometer, 80% Popcornmeter
Daredevil: Born Again Season 1 followed up on the efforts of Marvel's Defenders Saga on Netflix, bringing Charlie Cox back to reprise his role as Matt Murdock. Alongside Jon Bernthal (Punisher), Ayelet Zurer (Vanessa Fisk), Margarita Levieva (Heather Glenn), and more, Matt dealt with personal trauma while Vincent D'Onofrio's Wilson Fisk became the mayor of New York City, all leading to a wild duel over nine episodes.
More than anything else, Born Again officially reaffirmed the Defenders Saga as MCU canon, integrating Matt Murdock into the greater franchise while pushing his story ahead in the Big Apple. The show remained R-rated, even delivering the MCU's first-ever F-bomb on Disney+. It kept up the mature theme that made the hero so beloved while sticking mostly with what made the Netflix shows successful.
Unfortunately, the show went through a major creative overhaul during shooting. Born Again initially was an almost full reboot with only Cox and D'Onofrio returning. This led to a somewhat disjointed story with a couple of episodes that did not fit the larger season as well, although fans largely accepted this for the promise of great future seasons.
Born Again had much more to celebrate than denigrate, as the character is now officially part of the MCU and has a bright future ahead of him.
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man - 97% Tomatometer (63% Popcornmeter)
Following years of behind-the-scenes issues, Marvel Animation finally released Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man in January 2025. Starring Hudson Thames (Spider-Man) and featuring guest stars like Charlie Cox (Daredevil), the show gave a new take on Spidey's origin story, working closely with Norman Osborn while diving into a world already filled with Marvel superheroes.
Providing a unique take on the classic Spidey story, the series succeeds in focusing on its titular lead, even while utilizing so many other major Marvel heroes and villains. From going through a number of iconic suits to learning how to survive high school and an internship, much of what made Peter Parker so special in the comics is brought to life on the small screen.
The only main issues with the show stem from its place as a more "kid-friendly" series, with its rating somewhat keeping older fans from being able to connect with its story more meaningfully. Additionally, some of the plot choices were not executed as well as they could have been, but outside of those issues and other unfortunate controversies, the Spider-Man show performed admirably for Marvel Studios.
Given the issues Season 1 had ahead of its release, the level of success it saw should have viewers amped up for what Marvel can develop for Season 2.
X-Men '97 Season 1 - 99% Tomatometer, 91% Popcornmeter
Released in March 2024, X-Men '97 was the legacy sequel to X-Men: The Animated Series from the '90s, picking up with the team where they left off over 25 years prior. Starring a litany of memorable voice actors, the show centered on the mutants' plight against Bastion after Professor X's supposed death, all while the Sentinels and anti-mutant rhetoric threaten the team's safety.
X-Men '97 quickly became one of the best-reviewed projects not only in the Multiverse Saga but the entire MCU, which is particularly impressive considering its status as an animated series. Addressing adult themes while giving its entire cast plenty of meaty material to work with, the 10-episode show was a massive success from start to finish.
The series earned praise for its storytelling and character development and for its dedication to faithfully continuing the story from its predecessor. Even though fans had some complaints about the pacing, multiple stories were explored meaningfully, and the season set up a wild adventure for future episodes.
X-Men '97 was one of the most-watched series of the year on Disney+, and fans are already eager to see what Disney has in store for Season 2 and beyond.
BONUS: I Am Groot - 77% Popcornmeter, No Tomatometer Score
Not getting enough reviews to get a Tomatometer score, I Am Groot Season 2 earned a 77% Popcornmeter score (Audience Meter) after its release on Disney+ in September 2023. Starring Vin Diesel as Baby Groot and Bradley Cooper as Rocket Raccoon, this series is made up of five five-minute-long shorts, showing the young plant getting into a few wild and dangerous situations.
In only 25 minutes of screentime, I Am Groot gives viewers a fun, easy watch, complete with unique scenarios and environments in which Groot can thrive as a solo character. Something slightly different from the Guardians of the Galaxy films, these shorts offer a humorous and fun take on a fan-favorite character, leaving fans with a quick offering that brings plenty of laughs.
Although this show has little to no impact on the greater MCU, many still feel it is worthy of a watch for the wild shenanigans an animated Baby Groot can get himself into in a short time.
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.
