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Rotten Tomatoes Celebrates Its 25th Anniversary With Card Game, New Social Content

Rotten Tomatoes March 21 announced the launch of RT25, a year-long celebration of the 25th anniversary of the recommendation service.

“RT25 will celebrate the most beloved movies, TV shows and talent from the past two and a half decades, the critics who reviewed them, and the fans who have enjoyed them,” according to a release. The RT25-dedicated hub is on Rotten Tomatoes here.

The celebration begins with the launch of Rotten Tomatoes: The Card Game, which challenges up to 20 players to rank movies based on what they think the Tomatometer scores are. The game is available now for purchase at Amazon.com, RottenTomatoes.com and Cryptozoic.com for a suggested retail price of $24.99. More info is here.

“Over the past 25 years, Rotten Tomatoes has grown and solidified its place as the go-to resource for entertainment fans and critics alike,” said Julio De Oliveira, VP of Rotten Tomatoes, in a statement. “We are thrilled to offer our movie fans this lively one-of-kind game with Rotten Tomatoes: The Card Game, allowing them to celebrate and take part in this monumental anniversary.”

“Our team is thrilled to partner with Rotten Tomatoes during this milestone anniversary to bring entertainment fans Rotten Tomatoes: The Card Game,” said Cory Jones, co-founder of Cryptozoic Entertainment, in a statement. “We look forward to seeing pop culture fans test their cinematic knowledge, while immersing themselves in this original party game.”

Also as part of the festivities, the Rotten Tomatoes editorial and social teams will introduce new content monthly starting with the “Biggest and Best Movies & TV of the Last 25 Years” highlighting the best-reviewed titles, box office champions, fan-favorites, and more since the launch of the brand in August 1998. New content will also include listicles and features that celebrate the “Freshest” movies, TV and streaming shows from the past two and a half decades — according to Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer rating system, including countdowns of the best horror, comedy, sci-fi, action, animation movies and more.

Rotten Tomatoes will also host social media activations throughout the year, including polls, brackets, giveaways, trivia contests and more. Fans will also crown their favorite movie and TV show since 1998.

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Building on the popularity of snackable games, Rotten Tomatoes’ Daily Tomato uses content from the site to offer players hints at the movie title of the day. Players can test their knowledge with a new Daily Tomato every day, as well as special weekend challenges and themed weeks tied to the RT25 celebration.

Rotten Tomatoes was born in the Bay Area in August 1998 as an online startup that aggregated kung fu and anime movie reviews for a niche audience of fans. Since then, it has evolved to become a worldwide resource for entertainment discovery and recommendations. As part of the celebration, Rotten Tomatoes is releasing interesting stats and facts from the past 25 years.

Horror Comedy ’Cocaine Bear’ Tops Weekly Vudu Chart

The Universal Pictures horror comedy Cocaine Bear debuted atop the chart of the 10 most-popular films on Fandango’s transactional digital service Vudu the week ended March 19.

Available for premium digital rental and sale, the film, directed by Elizabeth Banks, is based on the true story of drug smuggler Andrew Thornton II, who on Sept. 11, 1985, jumped from an auto-piloted Cessna after dropping packages of cocaine in the forest near Blairsville, Ga. Thornton died when his parachute failed to open, while much of the coke was believed to have been ingested by a bear, who promptly died. In the movie version, the bear does not die; instead, he becomes addicted to the white powder and embarks on a killing spree while chasing after more.

Rising from No. 9 to No. 2 on the chart was A24’s The Whale, available for digital purchase and newly available for digital rental. The film, based on the play about an obese man attempting to reconnect with his daughter, recently earned Brendan Fraser a Best Actor Oscar.

Remaining at No. 3 on the chart was the Sony Pictures drama A Man Called Otto, available for digital purchase and newly available for digital rental. It stars Tom Hanks as a man who no longer sees purpose in life after the death of his wife and is ready to end it until he meets an unlikely friend. The film is based on the best-seller A Man Called Ove.

Another Oscar winning title, A24’s Everything Everywhere All at Once, returned to the chart at No. 4. Available for digital purchase, the hyperkinetic multiverse actioner won seven Academy Awards, for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Ke Huy Quan), Best Supporting Actress (Jamie Lee Curtis), Best Actress (Michelle Yeoh), Best Film Editing, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert).

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Falling from No. 2 to No. 5 on the chart was the Sony Pictures mystery Missing, available for digital purchase. In the film, when her mother (Nia Long) disappears while on vacation in Colombia with her new boyfriend, June’s (Storm Reid) search for answers is hindered by international red tape. Stuck thousands of miles away in Los Angeles, June creatively uses all the latest technology at her fingertips to try and find her. When June unravels secrets about her mom, she discovers that she never really knew her at all.

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Vudu’s top 10 titles for the week ended March 19, in terms of revenue, were:

Comedy ’80 for Brady’ Tops Weekly Vudu Chart

The Paramount Pictures comedy 80 for Brady debuted atop the chart of the 10 most-popular films on Fandango’s transactional digital service Vudu the week ended March 12.

Available for premium digital rental and sale starting March 7, the true story-based film stars Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Rita Moreno and Sally Field as friends and Tom Brady fans who take a wild trip to the 2017 Super Bowl LI.

Debuting at No. 2 was the mystery Missing, available for digital purchase starting March 7. In the film, when her mother (Nia Long) disappears while on vacation in Colombia with her new boyfriend, June’s (Storm Reid) search for answers is hindered by international red tape. Stuck thousands of miles away in Los Angeles, June creatively uses all the latest technology at her fingertips to try and find her. When June unravels secrets about her mom, she discovers that she never really knew her at all.

Falling from No. 1 to No. 3 on the chart was the Sony Pictures drama A Man Called Otto, available for digital purchase. It stars Tom Hanks as a man who no longer sees purpose in life after the death of his wife and is ready to end it until he meets an unlikely friend. The film is based on the best-seller A Man Called Ove.

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The Universal Pictures thriller Knock at the Cabin, available for premium digital rental and purchase, fell from No. 2 to No. 4 on the chart. The film from director M. Night Shyamalan follows a young girl and her parents who, while vacationing at a remote cabin, are taken hostage.

Falling from No. 4 to No. 5 on the chart was Sony Pictures’ Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, the 21st film in the anime franchise. It is available for digital purchase.

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Vudu’s top 10 titles for the week ended March 12, in terms of revenue, were:

80 for Brady
Missing
A Man Called Otto
Knock at the Cabin
Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero (English-language version)
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
Magic Mike’s Last Dance
The Whale
Plane

Tom Hanks Drama ‘A Man Called Otto’ Tops Weekly Vudu Chart

Sony Pictures’ A Man Called Otto, starring Tom Hanks, topped the chart of the 10 most-popular films on Fandango’s transactional digital service Vudu the week ended March 5.

The drama, available for digital purchase, stars Hanks as a man who no longer sees purpose in life after the death of his wife. He is ready to end it until he meets an unlikely friend. The film is based on the best-seller A Man Called Ove.

The Universal Pictures thriller Knock at the Cabin, available for premium digital rental and purchase, fell from the top spot to No. 2 on the chart. The film from director M. Night Shyamalan follows a young girl and her parents who, while vacationing at a remote cabin, are taken hostage.

A couple of sequels landed at No. 3 and No. 4 on the chart.

Debuting in the third spot was Warner Bros.’ Magic Mike’s Last Dance, available for premium digital rental and purchase. In the third installment in the franchise, “Magic” Mike Lane (Channing Tatum) takes to the stage again after a lengthy hiatus, following a business deal that went bust, leaving him broke and taking bartender gigs in Florida.

Landing at No. 4 was Sony Pictures’ Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, the 21st film in the anime franchise. It is available for digital purchase.

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Falling two spots to No. 5 on the chart was Universal Pictures’ Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, available for digital purchase. The DreamWorks animated film is a sequel to Puss in Boots and the sixth installment in the “Shrek” franchise. It follows the continuing adventures of the character Puss (voiced by Antonio Banderas). The film will start streaming on Peacock March 10.

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Vudu’s top 10 titles for the week ended March 5, in terms of revenue, were:

M. Night Shyamalan Thriller ‘Knock at the Cabin’ Tops Weekly Vudu Chart

The Universal Pictures thriller Knock at the Cabin topped the chart of the 10 most-popular films on Fandango’s transactional digital service Vudu the week ended Feb. 26.

Newly available for premium digital rental and purchase, the film from director M. Night Shyamalan follows a young girl and her parents who, while vacationing at a remote cabin, are taken hostage.

Debuting at No. 2 on the chart was the A24/Lionsgate drama The Whale, which earned Brendan Fraser an Oscar nomination for Best Actor and is newly available for digital purchase. Based on the play by Samuel D. Hunter, it follows the story of a reclusive English teacher who attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter.

Remaining at No. 3 on the chart was Universal Pictures’ Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, available for digital purchase. The DreamWorks animated film is a sequel to Puss in Boots and the sixth installment in the “Shrek” franchise. It follows the continuing adventures of the character Puss (voiced by Antonio Banderas).

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Dropping from the top spot to No. 4 on the chart was Lionsgate’s action thriller Plane, which became available for premium digital purchase and rental Feb. 3. In the film, pilot Brodie Torrance (Gerard Butler) saves his passengers from a lightning strike by making a risky landing on a war-torn island. When most of the passengers are taken hostage by dangerous rebels, the only person Torrance can count on for help is Louis Gaspare (Mike Colter), an accused murderer who was being transported by the FBI.

Falling from No. 2 to No. 5 on the chart was the Universal Pictures horror thriller M3GAN. The Blumhouse film, newly available for digital purchase starting Feb. 24 (after a premium run), is about a life-like artificial intelligence doll given to a young niece (Violet McGraw) by her robotics engineer aunt (Allison Williams) after the girl’s parents are killed in an automobile accident.

The Universal Pictures Academy Awards contender Women Talking, available for digital purchase staring Feb. 21, entered the chart at No. 10. The film has been nominated for two Oscars, Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay.

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Vudu’s top 10 titles for the week ended Feb. 26, in terms of revenue, were:

Gerard Butler Actioner ‘Plane’ Tops Weekly Vudu Chart

Lionsgate’s Plane topped the chart of the 10 most-popular films on Fandango’s transactional digital service Vudu the week ended Feb. 12.

The actioner, which debuted at No. 2 the previous week, became available for premium digital purchase and rental Feb. 3. In the film, pilot Brodie Torrance (Gerard Butler) saves his passengers from a lightning strike by making a risky landing on a war-torn island. When most of the passengers are taken hostage by dangerous rebels, the only person Torrance can count on for help is Louis Gaspare (Mike Colter), an accused murderer who was being transported by the FBI.

The Universal Pictures horror thriller M3GAN fell to No. 2 on the chart after two weeks at No. 1. The Blumhouse film, available for premium digital purchase and rental, is about a life-like artificial intelligence doll given to a young niece (Violet McGraw) by her robotics engineer aunt (Allison Williams) after the girl’s parents are killed in an automobile accident.

Debuting at No. 3 on the chart was the Sony Pictures biopic Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody, newly available for digital purchase. Directed by Kasi Lemmons, with a screenplay by Anthony McCarten, writer of Bohemian Rhapsody, the film follows the career of Whitney Houston, played by Naomi Ackie (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker), from New Jersey choir girl to one of the best-selling and most awarded singers of all time.

Remaining at No. 4 on the chart was Universal Pictures’ Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, available for premium digital rental and purchase. The DreamWorks animated film is a sequel to Puss in Boots and the sixth installment in the “Shrek” franchise. It follows the continuing adventures of the character Puss (voiced by Antonio Banderas).

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Falling from No. 3 to No. 5 on the chart was Disney’s Marvel Studios release Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, available for digital purchase Feb. 1 (as well as streaming on Disney+). In the film, Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M’Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and the Dora Milaje (including Florence Kasumba) fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death.

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Vudu’s top 10 titles for the week ended Feb. 12, in terms of revenue, were:

Plane
M3GAN
Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Black Adam
Legion of Super-Heroes
Alice, Darling
The Menu
Babylon

‘M3GAN’ Again Tops Weekly Vudu Chart

Universal Pictures’ M3GAN again topped the chart of the 10 most-popular films on Fandango’s transactional digital service Vudu the week ended Feb. 5.

The Blumhouse film, available for premium digital purchase and rental, is about a life-like artificial intelligence doll given to a young niece (Violet McGraw) by her robotics engineer aunt (Allison Williams) after the girl’s parents are killed in an automobile accident.

Debuting at No. 2 was the Lionsgate actioner Plane, which became available for premium digital purchase and rental Feb. 3. In the film, pilot Brodie Torrance (Gerard Butler) saves his passengers from a lightning strike by making a risky landing on a war-torn island. When most of the passengers are taken hostage by dangerous rebels, the only person Torrance can count on for help is Louis Gaspare (Mike Colter), an accused murderer who was being transported by the FBI.

Debuting at No. 3 was Disney’s Marvel Studios release Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, available for digital purchase Feb. 1 (as well as streaming on Disney+). In the film, Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M’Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and the Dora Milaje (including Florence Kasumba) fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death.

Falling from No. 2 to No. 4 on the chart was Universal Pictures’ Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, available for premium digital rental and purchase. The DreamWorks animated film is a sequel to Puss in Boots and the sixth installment in the “Shrek” franchise. It follows the continuing adventures of the character Puss (voiced by Antonio Banderas).

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Debuting at No. 5 on the chart was Paramount Pictures’ Babylon, which became available for premium digital rental and sale Jan. 31. Written and directed by Damien Chazelle, Babylon features a cast of characters — the Silent Film Superstar (Brad Pitt), the Young Starlet (Margot Robbie), the Production Executive (Diego Calva), the Musical Sensation (Jovan Adepo) and the Alluring Powerhouse Performer (Li Jun Li) — who are striving to stay on top of the raucous, 1920s Hollywood scene. It was nominated for three Oscars: Best Original Score, Best Production Design and Best Costume Design.

Also new to the chart for the week was Warner/New Line’s comedy House Party, available for premium digital rental and purchase Jan. 31. It landed at No. 6.

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Vudu’s top 10 titles for the week ended Feb. 5, in terms of revenue, were:

This Week’s MPN Podcast: Most Anticipated Movies, Shows; Interview With Fandango’s Erik Davis

On this week’s episode of the Media Play News podcast, hosts Charles Parkman and Charlie Showley dive into the most anticipated new and returning shows coming to streaming in February, as well as the 10 most-anticipated movies.

Surprisingly, network TV’s offerings dominate the new shows coming this month, with ABC and Fox debuting four of the five most anticipated items from the list. Charlie is looking forward to the new season of “You,” coming to Netflix, which is what you would get if you crossed a sappy Lifetime movie with a staple Netflix serial killer docuseries.

Among new movies, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania leads the list. Both hosts, however, are skeptical of its level of success, with not much chatter online. If nothing else, once it releases mid-February it will finally unseat Avatar: The Way of Water, which has led every box office weekend since its debut and has grossed over $2 billion worldwide, making it the No. 4 highest-grossing movie of all time.

The MPN Podcast features its first interview with Erik Davis, editor at Fandango, who talks with Charlie about several Oscar nominees that are currently available on Vudu. Erik shares his thoughts about movies such as The Banshees of Inisherin, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Top Gun: Maverick, and many others, as well as his predictions for who will win their respective categories. His most exciting prediction? A tie for Best Actress between Michelle Yo and Cate Blanchett for Everything Everywhere All at Once and Tár, respectively.

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‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’ Tops Vudu Chart for Third Week

Universal’s Puss in Boots: The Last Wish again topped the chart of the 10 most-popular films on Fandango’s transactional digital service Vudu the week ended Jan. 22.

Available for premium digital rental and purchase, the DreamWorks animated film is a sequel to Puss in Boots and the sixth installment in the “Shrek” franchise. It follows the continuing adventures of the character Puss (voiced by Antonio Banderas).

Rising a spot to No. 2 on the chart was The Old Way, starring Nicolas Cage. The Western, available for premium digital rental and purchase, follows a gunslinger-turned-family man (Cage) who teams up with his 12-year-old daughter to fight a gang who puts his family in danger.

Jumping seven spots to No. 3 on the chart was Warner Bros.’ superhero film Black Adam, available for digital purchase and newly available for digital rental. In the actioner based on the DC Comics, nearly 5,000 years after he was bestowed with the almighty powers of the ancient gods — and imprisoned just as quickly — Black Adam (Dwayne Johnson) is freed from his earthly tomb, ready to unleash his unique form of justice on the modern world.

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Paramount Pictures’ Devotion fell two spots to No. 4 on the chart. Available for digital purchase (and for streaming on Paramount+), the film chronicles the true story of two of the Navy’s most celebrated wingmen in the Korean War.

Falling a spot to No. 5 on the chart was Searchlight Pictures’ The Menu, which recently garnered Golden Globe nominations for Ralph Fiennes for Best Actor and Anya Taylor-Joy for Best Actress. Available for digital purchase and rental, the dark comedy thriller follows a group of diners confronted with horror at a secluded exclusive restaurant.

New to the chart for the week was There’s Something Wrong With the Children, a horror film starring Zachary Gilford and Alisha Wainwright.

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Vudu’s top 10 titles for the week ended Jan. 22, in terms of revenue, were:

‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’ Tops Weekly Vudu Chart

Universal’s Puss in Boots: The Last Wish topped the chart of the 10 most-popular films on Fandango’s transactional digital service Vudu the week ended Jan. 8.

Available for premium digital rental and purchase, the DreamWorks animated film debuted on Vudu Jan. 6. The sequel to Puss in Boots and the sixth installment in the “Shrek” franchise follows the continuing adventures of the character Puss (voiced by Antonio Banderas).

Also new to the chart for the week was Searchlight Pictures’ The Menu, which garnered Golden Globe nominations for Ralph Fiennes for Best Actor and Anya Taylor-Joy for Best Actress. Available for digital purchase, the dark comedy thriller follows a group of diners confronted with horror at a secluded exclusive restaurant.

Universal’s Violent Night, available for premium digital rental and purchase, fell from the top spot to No. 3 on the chart. The film, starring David Harbour and John Leguizamo, follows mercenaries who attack the estate of a wealthy family, but who run up against Santa Claus.

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Rising from No. 9 to No. 4 on the chart was The Woman King, available for digital rental and on sale for digital purchase. The Sony Pictures historical drama, starring Viola Davis (nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actress), is inspired by true events that took place in the kingdom of Dahomey, one of the most powerful states in Africa in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Another new release, Paramount Pictures’ Devotion, came in at No. 5 on the chart. Available for digital purchase (and for streaming on Paramount+) Jan. 8, the true story-based film chronicles the story of two of the Navy’s most celebrated wingmen in the Korean War.

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Vudu’s top 10 titles for the week ended Jan. 8, in terms of revenue, were: