BvS’ Rotten Tomatoes Score Went Up Because of the Snyder Cut

Batman v Superman: Dawn ofJustice‘s infamously low Rotten Tomatoes score has always been one of the movie’s biggest talking points, but the score actually increased (slightly) due to the release of the Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Zack Snyder’s DCEU movies have always had their vocal defenders, especially Batman v Superman, and opinions of the movie have softened some over time, especially after the release of Snyder’s 3-hour director’s cut, the Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Ultimate Edition, but the eventual release of the movie’s true sequel, the Snyder Cut of Justice League, actually brought enough new fresh reviews to the 2016 movie to improve the Rotten Tomatoes score a little bit.

The DCEU’s Rotten Tomatoes scores have been one of the franchises biggest talking points, from the struggle to get a Fresh score before Wonder Woman became one of the highest-rated comic books movies to Wonder Woman 1984 debuting Fresh and falling to a rotten score after release, but Batman v Superman‘s initial 27% score being one of the worst-rated comic book movies on Rotten Tomatoes could be considered the first big drama surrounding DC films and the Tomatometer.

Batman v Superman‘s reception made it one of the most controversial comic book movies of all time, and the debate still rages today, proving the movie’s staying power. In fact, the release of the Ultimate Edition of Batman v Superman is a large part of the reason there was so much support for the release of the Snyder Cut because for many people it proved Snyder’s director’s cuts are far superior to the theatrical releases. The slow climb of Batman v Superman’s Rotten Tomatoes score is likely also a consequence of that conversation.

Batman v Superman’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Increased Because of the Snyder Cut’s Release

Batman v Superman is still a long way from a Fresh score, but this Tomatometer increase is a sign of a shift in sentiment (however minor). The score initially grew to 28% on July 16, 2019, just over three years after release, when the movie had gathered around 120 additional reviews since its March 2016 review total of 286, bringing it to 410 reviews. It stayed at 28% for over a year-and-a-half until March 18, 2021, the exact release date of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, with its 430th review bringing the total to 123 Fresh reviews and a 29% score on the Tomatometer.

While the judgment of Batman v Superman seems to have softened in general over the years, as indicated by the slight Tomatometer increase in 2019, the fact that the score went up again exactly on Zack Snyder’s Justice League‘s release date indicates some critics were submitting their first Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Reviews to Rotten Tomatoes in the lead-up to the release of the Batman v Superman sequel. The average number of reviews submitted for Batman v Superman in the months before the Snyder Cut’s release is much higher than BvS‘ normal monthly average, and also far greater than the average number of new review submissions in the same period for the oft compared 2016 movie, Captain America: Civil War, which has a much higher rate of new reviews for Batman v Superman on Rotten Tomatoes in a normal month. Given these trends, it’s fairly logical to assume the spike in Rotten Tomatoes review submissions for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice that resulted in the score increase was a direct consequence of the impending release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League.

What Does Batman v Superman’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Increase Mean?

Interestingly, Batman v Superman‘s Tomatometer score was originally already at 29% immediately after its release on March 25, 2016, before quickly settling into 27% and then slowly climbing back to 29% over the next few years. Conversely, Captain America: Civil War settled at 90% shortly after its release and also grew by 1 percentage point in the next few years to 91%, but has since dropped back down to 90%. While Batman v Superman‘s Tomatometer score has crept up slightly, the average review score has stayed fairly consistent since release at 5.0 out of 10. The Top Critic score has also dropped from 26% to 24%, with the average Top Critic score also remaining consistent at 4.9 out of 10.

The Rotten Tomatoes score trends are certainly interesting, and the movie’s supporters will be glad to see Batman v Superman‘s score climb, it shouldn’t be taken as an indicator that the score will continue to climb, at least not to anywhere near Fresh territory. Only 33% of the reviews submitted in 2021 have been Fresh, and only 25% of reviews submitted after the release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League were Fresh, meaning even if the score increases again, it will always hover around the 30% mark without a much larger influx of positive reviews. The biggest takeaway from the changes to Batman v Superman‘s Rotten Tomatoes review score shouldn’t be the difference in the Tomatometer, but the actual review submissions themselves and constant dialogue around the film five years after release. Warner Bros. has repeatedly tried to move past the Snyder era, but the continued focus on Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice only shows the impact of its continued relevance and staying power, which, in the long run, usually matters far more than the number shown on the Tomatometer.

About The Author

Stephen M. Colbert
(627 Articles Published)

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Stephen has been writing for the site since 2016 and enjoys all manner of movies and TV, especially when it gives reason to obsess over minor irrelevant continuity minutiae.

Stephen has been infatuated with movie magic on screen and off since wearing out his VHS copy of The Making of Star Wars when he was 7. This passion continues in his work as a film journalist, whether it’s hunting down breadcrumbs about the Snyder Cut, breaking down box office trends, or obsessing over Rotten Tomatoes data, Stephen lives in the minutiae, as listeners of his podcast, Batman v Superman: By the Minute (with fellow-Screen Rant editor Andrew Dyce) know all too well.

When he’s not writing on the site, Stephen can be found obsessing over vintage camera lenses, chasing his tiny children around, or getting himself into trouble on Twitter @smcolbert.

Yes, that’s his real name.

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