Rotten Tomatoes has unveiled a new Verified Hot badge on August 21 in order to reflect the views of average moviegoers.
The website compiles global critics' assessments of films and television shows. A film or television programme is deemed "fresh" if it receives 60 per cent or more positive reviews. A film or television programme is deemed "rotten" if its reviews are less than 60 per cent positive.
Occasionally, fandom and cultural conflicts turn Rotten Tomatoes scores into battlegrounds.
The all-female Ghostbusters reboot from 2016 is frequently cited as the first mainstream example of users trying to manipulate the scores. However, such manipulation attempts do indicate that the site's scores have become increasingly influential over time, conveying a certain level of desired pop culture respectability.
So, what exactly is the Verified Hot badge and how does a film qualify for it?
What does Verified Hot on Rotten Tomatoes mean?
Verified Hot films from audiences will be added to reviewers' Certified Fresh films.
Another change is the minimum number of reviews from critics that a movie must receive before a Tomatometer score is shown.
A film will need 10 reviews for a score if it is the first time it has been seen at a festival or if its estimated box office revenue is $60m (£45m) or less; 20 reviews are needed if the estimated box office revenue is between $60m and $120m (£91m); and 40 reviews are needed if the projected box office revenue exceeds $120m.
Additionally, the website's audience-driven Popcornmeter will display a general hot badge for films that receive at least 60 per cent of reviews with 3.5 stars, and a "stale" badge for films that don't meet that criterion.
How does a film get Verified Hot on Rotten Tomatoes?
A movie must meet a number of qualifying standards, including having a Verified Audience Score of 90 per cent or above on its Popcornmeter, in order to be designated as Verified Hot. Rotten Tomatoes will only accept reviews from moviegoers who it has confirmed really bought tickets through Comcast's subsidiary company, Fandango, which is a ticketing provider.
The movies Taylor Swift: The Eras tour, Deadpool & Wolverine, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Knives Out, Fly Me to the Moon, and It Ends With Us are among the first to be added to the Verified Hot badge. The website is retroactively appending the badge to more than 200 films other films.
Why has Rotten Tomatoes added a Verified Hot badge?
With the introduction of the Verified Hot badge, which was previously only available to professional reviewers with the Certified Fresh label, it seems that the power is now shifting from critics to regular moviegoers. By working together, they may now assist a film to earn a coveted badge.
