Unlike Warner Bros. and its DC Extended Universe, Marvel Studios has never had a "Rotten" movie on Rotten Tomatoes. That's an impressive feat when you take into account that the Marvel Cinematic Universe launched way back in 2008, and while Eternals isn't on track to earn the dreaded green splat, it's a long way from "Certified Fresh" status right now.
With a total of 81 reviews counted, Chloé Zhao's first blockbuster has a score of 65% on the review aggregator. That makes it the "worst" reviewed Marvel Studios movie on the site, with Thor: The Dark World at 66% and The Incredible Hulk's 67%. From there, the scores jump up to "Certified Fresh" status with Iron Man 2 (72%) and Avengers: Age of Ultron (76%).
The current Critics Consensus reads: "An ambitious superhero epic that soars more often than it strains, Eternals takes the MCU in intriguing -- and occasionally confounding -- new directions."
Most fans anticipated Eternals being a masterpiece that would change the game for Marvel Studios, but that certainly doesn't seem to be the consensus among critics. Ultimately, box office takings are what matter most, but if the response isn't as enthusiastic as the one Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings received...well, we'd hate to think that's it for these characters.
Even if a sequel ends up off the table, we're sure a place could be found for the Eternals. Throw in the fact that the MCU has enough good faith with moviegoers to ensure that even a "Rotten" movie would probably still be a hit, and we're betting Kevin Feige isn't sweating this too much. It is, however, a little surprising.
Eternals will arrive in theaters on November 5.