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X-Men: Dark Phoenix

X-Men: Dark Phoenix

A Phoenix will rise. The X-Men will fall.

2019113 minPG-13Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films
Director
Simon Kinberg
Starring
Sophie Turner, James McAvoy, Nicholas Hoult, Tye Sheridan

The X-Men face their most formidable and powerful foe when one of their own, Jean Grey, starts to spiral out of control. During a rescue mission in outer space, Jean is nearly killed when she's hit by a mysterious cosmic force. Once she returns home, this force not only makes her infinitely more powerful, but far more unstable. The X-Men must now band together to save her soul and battle aliens that want to use Grey's new abilities to rule the galaxy.

Where to watch

Where can I watch X-Men: Dark Phoenix?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists X-Men: Dark Phoenix streaming on Disney+ and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about X-Men: Dark Phoenix?

X-Men: Dark Phoenix earns 7 badges, led by Overhyped and Star-studded.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is X-Men: Dark Phoenix worth watching?

X-Men: Dark Phoenix's Midcredits score is the 22nd percentile of all films, from 771K ratings across 6 sources. 31% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

22nd percentile

Better received than 22% of films

35th percentile among Action23rd percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)23rd
Approval (how many liked it)24th

53 /100

23rd percentile of all films

36th percentile among Action25th percentile among 2010s

Critics 43 · Audience 53

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.7 — solid but not unanimous.

31% liked it

24th percentile of all films

38th percentile among Action24th percentile among 2010s
31% rated it 7–1069% rated it 1–6

Critics 22% · Audience 64%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 14 noms overall

81st percentile

771K ratings across platforms

69th percentile among Action82nd percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 32% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$200M
Opening weekend$33M
Domestic gross$66M
Worldwide gross$252M

Returned 1.3× its budget — 93rd percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film is a rushed, underwhelming adaptation of the Dark Phoenix saga with weak writing and uneven character development.

Fans praised

  • Sophie Turner's Jean Grey is a compelling centerpiece
  • The action sequences, especially the train fight, are well-done
  • Hans Zimmer's score elevates key moments

Detractors panned

  • Sophie Turner's acting is weak and unconvincing
  • Script and dialogue are atrocious and expository
  • Continuity errors and rushed storytelling ruin the film

What stands out

Effects and spectacleDivisive70

Action sequences, especially the train fight, are visually impressive

ActingDivisive35

Sophie Turner's performance divisive; some find her compelling, others wooden

Plot and storyDivisive35

Story rushed, with illogical government shifts and forced alien threat

CharactersDivisive30

Jean's arc rushed and underdeveloped; supporting cast mostly wasted

Emotional impactDivisive30

Jean's inner conflict is intriguing but undercut by weak execution

PacingDivisive25

Feels rushed and listless, with abrupt tonal shifts

OriginalityDivisive25

Derivative of prior X-Men films and the comic saga

Dialogue20

Expository and stilted, with whiplashing motivations

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 20 points higher than users.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 1 point apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 5 points apart
  • US vs non-US 7 points apart

Watch experience

What is X-Men: Dark Phoenix like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense and leaves you bittersweet.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseMelancholicDreadCathartic
Heaviest: middle
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Melodramatic · 9% of films: Heightened emotion, played large.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe material is played straight with sincere emotion, treating the personal and global stakes with gravity and occasional melodramatic flair.
The rideThe film maintains a high tension and dread as Jean's control slips, with the emotional weight concentrated on her spiral during the middle act.
StructureThe story unfolds in a linear chronological order, following Jean's transformation and the X-Men's response.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetDevastating · 3% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film ends with sacrifice and loss, but also a sense of renewal and the team's perseverance, leaving a mix of sadness and hope.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Tragedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% (this title) · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Corruption arc: Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).

9% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeJean Grey is corrupted by a cosmic force that amplifies her powers, leading to a tragic arc where her identity is consumed and she becomes a threat to those she loves.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfIdentitySelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% (this title) · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% (this title) · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Identity · 14% of filmsPower · 2% of filmsSacrifice · 4% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Global stakes: Consequences reach the world.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores Jean Grey's struggle with who she becomes when her immense powers overwhelm her sense of self, forcing the X-Men to confront what they are willing to sacrifice.
StanceThe film questions whether Jean's identity is worth saving when it threatens everyone, without fully affirming or condemning either side of the argument.

The world

Late 20th centuryUrbanInstitutionalWildernessOuter spaceScience fiction
Orchestral modernForeground music · original score · Hans Zimmer
SettingThe X-Mansion, a space shuttle mission, and various global locations in the 1990s X-Men universe.
MusicZimmer's score uses choir and driving strings to emphasize Jean's internal turmoil and the epic stakes.

Content guide

Is X-Men: Dark Phoenix okay for kids?

PG-13

X-Men: Dark Phoenix is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action including some gunplay, disturbing images, and brief strong language” (MPAA). As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (62/100), sexual content at minimal (13/100), language at moderate (49/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (30/100) and frightening material at moderate (57/100). Overall it is heavier than 70% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 28 other countries
  • UK12A
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • Ireland12A
  • New ZealandM
  • South Korea12
  • Brazil12
  • Czechia15+
  • Denmark11
  • FinlandK-12
  • Hungary16
  • ID13+
  • IndiaUA
  • ItalyT
  • MexicoB
  • Netherlands12
  • Norway12
  • Poland16
  • PortugalM/12
  • RO12
  • Russia16+
  • SingaporePG13
  • SK12
  • Spain12
  • Sweden11
  • Switzerland16
  • Türkiye13+
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 43% of all filmsHeavier than 70% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 78%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 16%
Profanity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 68%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 45%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 68%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence. Everything else sits at or below what PG-13-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does X-Men: Dark Phoenix have?

MovieCove's classifier found 1 depicted content warning in X-Men: Dark Phoenix: Gore or body horror (moderate). Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

ModerateGore or body horror

Cast and crew

Who is in X-Men: Dark Phoenix?

Cast

5 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Sophie Turner
as Jean Grey
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
James McAvoy
as Professor Charles Xavier
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Nicholas Hoult
as Hank McCoy
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Tye Sheridan
as Scott Summers
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Michael Fassbender
as Erik Lehnsherr
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Alexandra Shipp
as Ororo Munroe
Evan Peters
as Peter Maximoff
Jessica Chastain
as Vuk
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Kodi Smit-McPhee
as Kurt Wagner
Jennifer Lawrence
as Raven
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like X-Men: Dark Phoenix?

Movies like X-Men: Dark Phoenix include X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) and Fantastic Four (2015). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films written by Simon Kinberg, and half are superhero films.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

6 of these 12 share its world: New York. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with X-Men: Dark Phoenix?

605 other films share the rarest tag below, follows: superhero. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.