Marvel Zombies

A spin-off from the What If...? series, Marvel Zombies is a four-episode animated miniseries available on Disney+. episode "What If... Zombies?!" and is the first animated work from Marvel Studios to receive a TV-MA rating. A group of survivors, including Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani), Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld), Ironheart (Dominique Thorne), Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Shang-Chi (Simu Liu), and the recently introduced "Blade Knight" (Todd Williams), fight superpowered zombies and make their way through a post-apocalyptic wasteland in this series, which is set five years after a zombie plague has destroyed civilization and turned most of the Avengers into flesh-eating undead. With gory, visceral action scenes and inventive kills, the show fully embraces its mature rating. Director Bryan Andrews and head writer Zeb Wells also use the animated format to create matchups and scenarios that aren't possible in live action, like Blade taking on the role of Khonshu after Moon Knight dies or a zombified Captain Marvel fighting Ikaris.

The series has received a distinctly mixed critical review, despite its promise of gory spectacle and fan-service moments. Fans have praised its creative flexibility, pointing out that it offers a "stealth Young Avengers" dynamic that the main franchise hasn't been able to leverage and finally allows younger MCU characters like Kate Bishop and Ms. Marvel to connect meaningfully. Others, however, take issue with the intricate planning, the cel-shaded animation style's wooden character expressions, and a scenario that seems more like a "needless spin-off of a spin-off" than a necessary narrative. A true world-building and emotional involvement are limited by the four-episode format, and the cliffhanger finale, which teases a continuation that might or might not happen, is an example of larger MCU problems with setup without payoff. Marvel Zombies ultimately works as a violent, pulpy diversion that doesn't need to relate to the upcoming Avengers movie, but it falls short of more ambitious animated productions like X-Men '97 due to its hurried pacing and reliance on well-known zombie clichés.

Staff:

Created by: Bryan Andrews and Zeb Wells

Based on: Marvel Comics

Showrunner: Bryan Andrews

Teleplay by: Zeb Wells

Story by: Bryan Andrews and Zeb Wells

Directed by: Bryan Andrews

Produced by: Danielle Costa and Carrie Wassenaar

Starring: Iman Vellani, Dominique Thorne, Hailee Steinfeld, Kerry Condon, Kenna Ramsey, Todd Williams, Kari Wahlgren, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Randall Park, Feodor Chin, Wyatt Russell, Rama Vallury, Elizabeth Olsen, Hudson Thames, Paul Rudd, Greg Furman, Adam Hugill, Daniel Swain, Sheila Atim, Tessa Thompson, F. Murray Abraham, and Zenobia Shroff.

Edited by: Joel Fisher, Graham Fisher, and Anton Capaldo-Smith

Music by: Laura Karpman and Nora Kroll-Rosenbaum

No. of episodes: 4

Production companies: Marvel Studios Animation

Distributed by: Disney+

Release date: September 24, 2025

Running time: 31–37 minutes