Apr 11 2017
Rotten Tomatoes Score Dataset Updated
We’re up to 72 superhero movies since 2000 (current as of November 2017). You can download the full data here. Some observations:
- R movies are making up the quality gap with PG-13 movies.
- Superhero movies are improving. Over the last 5 years (2013-2017), the average superhero movie is averaging 70% on Rotten Tomatoes, up from 58% from 2000 to 2012.
- Marvel properties tend to score better on Rotten Tomatoes than DC properties — Marvel’s averaging 65%, compared to 51% for DC properties and 69% for other superhero movies.
- Both DC and Marvel movies are getting better over time. Movies based on DC properties averaged 55% over the last 5 years, up from 48% over the 12 years before. Movies based on Marvel properties averaged 74% over the last 5 years, up from 59% over the 12 years before.
- Sci-fi movies and drama movies do noticeably better than average.
- Thrillers and fantasy do noticeably worse.
Notes on genre classifications: Each of the movies had 2-3 genres assigned by Google metadata. I changed any values that struck me as obviously wrong (e.g. according to Google’s metadata, Spider-Man 2 and Guardians of the Galaxy are “action / fantasy” and Green Lantern is “fantasy / thriller”). Disclaimer: Genre classifications are always highly subjective and arbitrary.
