Marvel Zombies is the kind of show that knows exactly what it is. It is a horror-comedy about superheroes turning into zombies, and it leans fully into that premise without apology. The series premiered on Disney+ on September 24, 2025, and it packs four episodes into a single season. It is the 16th television series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) from Marvel Studios, produced by Marvel Studios Animation. The show is a spin-off of the animated series What If…?, continuing the alternate timeline introduced in the episode “What If… Zombies?!” (2021).
The premise is simple. A virus turns most of the world’s population, including the Avengers, into zombies. A small group of survivors discovers the key to ending the plague, and they race across a dystopian landscape to save their world. The show draws on the Marvel Comics series of the same name, and it carries the same dark humor and action that made that property popular.
Trailer, via Marvel Entertainment.
The Cast and Their Roles
The voice cast is stacked. Iman Vellani voices Kamala Khan / Ms. Marvel, a teenage mutant from Jersey City who wears a magical bangle that unlocks her ability to harness cosmic energy and create hard light constructs. Kamala is described as “the Frodo of the story,” a reference to Frodo Baggins from The Lord of the Rings (1954–55).
Todd Williams voices Blade Knight, a half-vampire “daywalker” who hunts vampires and has become the avatar of Khonshu, Moon Knight, following the death of the mantle’s previous bearer, Marc Spector. Since becoming the avatar of Khonshu, Blade Knight no longer needs to consume blood.
David Harbour voices Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian, the Soviet super soldier counterpart to Captain America and a father figure to Belova. Simu Liu voices Xu Shang-Chi, a highly skilled martial artist who was trained at a young age to be an assassin by his father Xu Wenwu. Shang-Chi was bitten by a zombie on his right arm, which adds a grim twist to his established MCU history.
Awkwafina voices Katy Chen, and Elizabeth Olsen voices Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch / Red Queen / Queen of the Dead. Randall Park voices Jimmy Woo, Hailee Steinfeld voices Kate Bishop, and Dominique Thorne voices Riri Williams / Ironheart. Florence Pugh voices Yelena Belova, and Kerry Condon voices F.R.I.D.A.Y., the artificial intelligence created by Stark.
The casting announcements came in waves. In November 2023, Vellani said she was reprising her MCU role as Kamala Khan / Ms. Marvel, having already completed her voice work. In November 2024, several other actors were revealed to be reprising their MCU roles: Awkwafina, Harbour, Liu, Olsen, Park, Steinfeld, Thorne, and Florence Pugh. Todd Williams was also announced as part of the cast.
Olsen had recorded her lines in 2020 or 2021. In February 2025, Winderbaum confirmed that Hudson Thames, who voiced Peter Parker / Spider-Man in “What If… Zombies?!” and went on to voice the character in the Disney+ animated series Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (2025–present), would also be reprising his role. In July 2025, Feodor Chin said he would be reprising his role as Xu Wenwu from the second season of What If…? (2023).
Paul Rudd, Wyatt Russell, and Tessa Thompson were revealed to be reprising their respective MCU roles as Scott Lang / Ant-Man, John Walker, and Valkyrie. Todd Williams was revealed to voicing Blade Knight, replacing Mahershala Ali, who was cast as the character for the MCU films but was unable to reprise his role due to a scheduling issue. In September, several other actors were revealed to be reprising their MCU roles: Kerry Condon as F.R.I.D.A.Y., Adam Hugill as Rintrah, Daniel Swain as the London Master, Sheila Atim as Sara, F. Murray Abraham as Khonshu, and Zenobia Shroff as Muneeba Khan.
Kenna Ramsey and Kari Wahlgren were also revealed as part of the cast. The series also includes Kari Wahlgren as Melina Vostokoff, a seasoned spy and scientist trained in the Red Room as a Black Widow who is a mother figure to Yelena Belova, and Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, a highly skilled spy and assassin trained in the Red Room as a Black Widow.
The Zombie Apocalypse That Started It All
The premise of Marvel Zombies is that a virus turned the world’s population into zombies. The show follows a group of survivors as they discover the key to bringing an end to the superpowered undead, racing across a dystopian landscape and risking life and limb to save their world. The series is set in the alternate timeline introduced in the What If…? episode “What If… Zombies?!” (2021), where the virus has spread far beyond the original scope.
The survivors face a world overrun by the dead. The show draws on the source material’s concept of the zombie apocalypse, where the virus has spread far beyond the original scope. The survivors are ordinary people caught in an extraordinary situation, and their desperation drives the narrative forward.
What the Premise Actually Is
The show’s premise is simple: a virus turns the world’s population into zombies. A small group of survivors discovers the key to ending the plague, and they race across a dystopian landscape to save their world. The series draws on the Marvel Comics series of the same name, and it carries the same dark humor and action that made that property popular.
The premise is that a virus turns the world’s population into zombies. A small group of survivors discovers the key to ending the plague, and they race across a dystopian landscape to save their world. The series is set in the alternate timeline introduced in the What If…? episode “What If… Zombies?!” (2021), where the virus has spread far beyond the original scope.
The survivors face a world overrun by the dead. The show draws on the source material’s concept of the zombie apocalypse, where the virus has spread far beyond the original scope. The survivors are ordinary people caught in an extraordinary situation, and their desperation drives the narrative forward.
The series follows the group as they discover the key to ending the plague. They travel across a dystopian landscape, facing superpowered zombies along the way. The stakes are high, and the journey is dangerous.
What Works and What Doesn’t
The show works best when it commits to its tone. The horror elements are present, but the comedy is the star. The series balances the two with confidence, never letting either one dominate the other. The voice acting is strong across the board, and the ensemble cast gives each character a distinct personality.
The animation style continues the look of What If…?, with Stellar Creative Lab returning from that series to provide the visuals. The show’s design is consistent with the MCU’s established aesthetic, and the zombies are rendered with enough detail to be unsettling without being overly graphic.
Where the show stumbles is in pacing. Some episodes feel padded, with exposition-heavy sequences that slow down the momentum. The plot is straightforward, and the show rarely surprises the audience with new twists. The finale wraps everything up cleanly, but it feels rushed compared to the buildup.
The show’s strengths are its cast and its tone. The weaknesses are pacing and novelty. The show is not reinventing the wheel, but it does not need to. It is a fun, well-made entry in the MCU’s animated slate.
Comparing the Cast to Their MCU Roles
| Character | Voice Actor | Role in the Show | MCU Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kamala Khan / Ms. Marvel | Iman Vellani | Central protagonist, teenager with cosmic powers | Teenage superhero from Ms. Marvel (2022–2023) |
| Blade Knight | Todd Williams | Half-vampire hunter, avatar of Khonshu | Replaces Mahershala Ali’s MCU role |
| Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian | David Harbour | Father figure to Belova | Soviet super soldier from Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) |
| Shang-Chi | Simu Liu | Martial artist, bitten by a zombie | Lead of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) |
| Katy Chen | Awkwafina | Supporting character | Friend of Kamala from Ms. Marvel (2022–2023) |
| Wanda Maximoff / The Red Queen | Elizabeth Olsen | Villainous zombie queen | Sorceress from Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) |
The table shows how each actor brings their MCU experience to the show. Vellani and Olsen both have extensive experience in the franchise, and their chemistry carries some of the strongest scenes. Harbour and Liu bring gravitas to their roles, grounding the show’s more absurd moments.
The show also introduces new characters alongside familiar ones. The survivors include a diverse group of people trying to survive in a world gone wrong. Their interactions drive the emotional core of the story.
The Road to the Finale
The series builds toward a final confrontation with the zombie threat. The survivors discover the key to ending the plague, and they race across a dystopian landscape to reach it. The journey is filled with obstacles, and the show does not shy away from the violence that comes with it.
The finale delivers a satisfying conclusion to the story. The key is found, the threat is neutralized, and the survivors emerge changed. The show ends on a hopeful note, but the scars remain visible.
The show’s episodic structure allows for a steady build. Each episode adds a piece to the puzzle, and the finale puts all the pieces together. The pacing holds up through the middle, though the later episodes lean more on recap than on new material.
The Verdict on Marvel Zombies
Marvel Zombies is a solid, if unambitious, entry in the MCU’s animated lineup. It knows what it wants to be and executes it competently. The cast is excellent, the animation is sharp, and the tone is consistent. It is not a groundbreaking work, but it is an enjoyable one.
The show delivers on its promises without exceeding them. It is a reliable watch for fans of the MCU, and it stands as a worthy spin-off of What If…?.
Here is the breakdown of the show’s strengths:
- Strong ensemble cast, with familiar MCU faces reprising their roles
- Consistent animation style carried over from What If…?
- Balanced horror-comedy tone that commits to both sides
- Clear, straightforward plot that delivers a satisfying finale
And here are the areas where it falls short:
- Pacing issues in some episodes, with padded exposition scenes
- Lack of new twists or surprises in the plot
- Rushed finale that feels less impactful than the setup
The show is worth watching for fans of the MCU’s animated slate. It is a fun ride with a clear destination, even if the road there is occasionally bumpy. The finale delivers on the promise of the series, and the show earns its place in the MCU’s catalog.
Marvel Zombies is a good show, not a great one. It is a reliable entry in the MCU’s animated lineup, and it is a solid watch for anyone who enjoys the franchise. The series is a spin-off that honors its source material while carving out its own identity. It is a worthy addition to the MCU’s growing roster of animated projects, and it stands as a reminder of why the zombie genre remains so compelling.
The show is available to stream on Disney+. It is a short watch at four episodes, and it is best enjoyed in a single sitting. The dystopian landscape is a visual treat, and the voice acting elevates the material beyond its modest ambitions. The show is a fun, if predictable, entry in the MCU’s animated slate, and it is a solid recommendation for fans of the franchise.
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