Marvel Zombies Review: Disney+ Brings Gore, Survival Horror, and a Bold MCU Spin
Marvel Studios has expanded the What If…? universe with a full-fledged spinoff, Marvel Zombies, which debuted on Disney+ on September 24, 2025. Across its four-episode run, the animated series takes fans back to the apocalyptic timeline first teased in What If…? Season 1. While not entirely groundbreaking, it offers fans exactly what they’ve been craving: a darker, gorier take on the MCU where no hero is safe.
Marvel Zombies Plot Overview
The story picks up five years after the zombie outbreak collapsed civilization. A group of surviving heroes—Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani), Ironheart (Dominique Thorne), Hawkeye (Hailee Steinfeld), Shang-Chi (Simu Liu), and Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh)—band together to fight for humanity’s future. But their path is haunted by the Queen of the Dead, Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen), who rules the undead with terrifying power.
The setup leans heavily into traditional survival horror tropes. The first three episodes follow a repetitive rhythm: heroes seek refuge in a familiar MCU location, only for zombies to overwhelm them. However, the finale breaks from this formula, delivering an epic Avengers: Endgame-style battle that elevates the stakes to cosmic proportions.
How It Differs From the Comics
Fans of Robert Kirkman and Sean Phillips’ Marvel Zombies comics may be surprised. The comics portrayed intelligent, self-aware zombies as the protagonists, creating a darkly comedic narrative. In contrast, the Disney+ series strips most zombies of intelligence, aside from Wanda, making it closer to a standard zombie survival story.
This creative choice makes the series safer compared to the source material but allows it to focus on building relationships among the surviving heroes rather than exploring villainous undead perspectives.
Strengths of Marvel Zombies
Two elements make the show especially engaging:
- Breaking the MCU’s “Plot Armor”
In Marvel Zombies, no hero is safe. Characters we’ve followed across Phases 4 and 5 can—and do—meet grisly ends. This freedom to “break the toys” adds unpredictability and fresh stakes absent from recent MCU films. - Showcasing Newer Characters Together
The series emphasizes Phase 4 and 5 heroes rather than relying on the original Avengers. The dynamic team-ups—like Kamala, Kate, and Riri forming a “Young Avengers”-style trio—bring out new chemistry. Meanwhile, characters such as Shang-Chi, Katie (Awkwafina), and Jimmy Woo (Randall Park) thrive in this post-apocalyptic setting.
Perhaps the boldest reinvention comes with Blade, reimagined as “Blade Knight,” Khonshu’s avatar, combining vampire hunting with Moon Knight-style mysticism. It’s an inspired twist, even though Mahershala Ali doesn’t reprise his role.
Emotional Connections and Character Arcs
Despite the gore and chaos, Marvel Zombies shines in character work. Relationships like Kamala and Red Guardian’s father-daughter bond add emotional depth, ensuring the eventual deaths hit hard. This mix of action and humanity is something the live-action MCU has struggled to balance, making the animated spinoff feel refreshingly focused.
Animation and Style
The show inherits the animation style of What If…?. While some quiet moments suffer from lack of facial detail, action sequences pop with fluid, anime-inspired energy. The finale in particular unleashes large-scale spectacle, proving the format can rival big-screen MCU battles.
The Ending
The series concludes with a bleak, divisive finale that fits the hopeless tone of its world. While some may crave a more optimistic resolution, the ending underscores that this universe is defined by loss and survival against impossible odds.
FAQs About Marvel Zombies
1. How many episodes does Marvel Zombies have?
The series consists of four episodes streaming exclusively on Disney+.
2. When was Marvel Zombies released?
The show premiered on September 24, 2025.
3. Who are the main heroes in the series?
Ms. Marvel, Ironheart, Shang-Chi, Yelena Belova, and Hawkeye lead the story, with appearances from Blade, Red Guardian, and others.
4. Is it connected to What If…??
Yes, it directly spins off from the What If…? Zombies?! episode from Season 1.
5. Does it follow the comics?
Not exactly. Unlike the comics, most zombies lack intelligence, with Wanda being the primary exception.
Final Thoughts
Marvel Zombies doesn’t reinvent the zombie genre, but it delivers exactly what fans expected: a grisly, character-driven survival horror story set in the MCU. By showcasing Phase 4 and 5 heroes in bold new alliances and letting go of the safety net of plot armor, it achieves something missing from Marvel’s current live-action films.
With its epic finale and emotional character beats, Marvel Zombies proves that even in a universe overrun by the undead, the MCU can still find fresh life.
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