Summary (tl;dr)

Rotten Tomatoes is trending as film and TV enthusiasts eagerly follow the critical and audience reception of numerous new releases in May 2026, including highly acclaimed films like "Obsession" and the critically lauded new Apple TV+ series "Star City," alongside discussions fueled by notable discrepancies between critic and audience scores for other titles.

Essential Background

Rotten Tomatoes is a widely recognized American review-aggregation website for film and television, launched in 1998. It compiles reviews from critics and assigns a percentage score, the "Tomatometer," indicating the percentage of positive reviews. An accompanying "Audience Score" reflects viewer sentiment. The platform has become a significant reference point for moviegoers and is frequently cited in discussions about a project's quality and commercial prospects. Its influence on public perception and even box office performance has led to ongoing debate about the role of aggregated scores in film criticism.

The Full Story

In May 2026, Rotten Tomatoes is a major topic of conversation due to a flurry of new movie and television show releases and their varied receptions. "Obsession" has garnered significant attention for achieving the highest Rotten Tomatoes score of the year thus far, with both critics and audiences awarding it 95%. The Apple TV+ spin-off "Star City" has also made headlines, debuting with a perfect 100% critic score.

However, not all new releases are enjoying such universal acclaim. The Netflix series "Lord of the Flies" has sparked considerable discussion due to a wide disparity between its high 95% critic score and a much lower 51% audience score, leading to a polarized reception. Similarly, the Netflix true-crime documentary "The Crash" holds a strong 91% critic score but a significantly lower 62% audience score, making it a "polarizing" film. Meanwhile, the new "Jack Ryan: Ghost War" movie is trending for its notably low 45% critic score, disappointing fans. Conversely, actor Brendan Fraser is celebrating an "impressive new Rotten Tomatoes streak" with his latest film, "Pressure," receiving a 95% audience score.

The platform is also highlighting a variety of other acclaimed films and series newly available on streaming services like Paramount+, Hulu, and Netflix, keeping it at the forefront of entertainment discussions.

Why It Matters

The trending nature of Rotten Tomatoes underscores its continued importance as a benchmark for film and television evaluation. The wide range of scores and the differing opinions between critics and general audiences for prominent new releases like "Lord of the Flies" and "The Crash" ignite public debate and encourage viewers to explore these titles and form their own conclusions. For studios and creators, a high Rotten Tomatoes score can significantly boost a project's profile, while low scores or a substantial critic-audience divide can impact its perception and commercial success. The ongoing discussions about the platform's influence on how entertainment is consumed and judged highlight its central, albeit sometimes controversial, role in contemporary popular culture.

Geographic Location

• Cannes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France (debut of Brendan Fraser's film "Diamond" at the Cannes Film Festival)
• New York City, New York, United States (premiere of "Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan: Ghost War")