Marvel Zombies – The animated series from September 24th on Disney+

23 September 2025

There's something deeply disturbing about the idea of seeing your favorite heroes transformed into flesh-hungry creatures. Yet, that's precisely the macabre appeal of Marvel Zombies, the new animated series launching on Disney+ on September 24, 2025. And I can honestly say I can't wait to see how the MCU tackles this decidedly darker territory.

An Apocalypse Born from What If…?

The series was born as a direct spin-off of the 2021 episode "What If... Zombies?!", which many of us probably remember as one of the most chilling from the first season of What If...?. The idea is as simple as it is terrifying: what would happen if a zombie virus spread across the Marvel Universe, transforming our beloved superheroes into cannibalistic monsters?

Bryan Andrews, who directed that memorable episode, returns as showrunner and director of the series, joined by Zeb Wells (known for She-Hulk and The Marvels) as head writer. It's clear that Marvel Studios wanted to maintain creative continuity with people already familiar with this devastated alternate universe.

A Stellar Cast… Even in Death

Most striking is the voice cast, all reprising their roles from the MCU. Iman Vellani returns as Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel, and the creators have even dubbed her "the Frodo of the story"—a pivotal role that positions her as the focal point of this zombie apocalypse. Then we have Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, but with an interesting twist: in the teaser shown at D23, we saw him bitten on the arm and using the Ten Rings to prevent the infection from spreading to the rest of his body. A detail that promises constant tension.

David Harbour reprises Red Guardian, Florence Pugh is back as Yelena Belova, Hailee Steinfeld returns as Kate Bishop, and the list goes on with names like Awkwafina, Randall Park, and Dominique Thorne. But the creepiest part? Elizabeth Olsen reprises Wanda Maximoff… only this time she's on the bad guys' side, transformed into a zombie Scarlet Witch.

TV-MA: Finally Without Brakes

Here's what excites me the most: Marvel Zombies will be Marvel Studios' first animated series with a TV-MA rating. That means blood, gore, and all the "splatter you want from a zombie show," as Andrews himself put it. No more censorship, no more cuts: we'll finally be able to see the Marvel Universe without the white gloves.

Brad Winderbaum, Marvel's head of animation, compared the level of violence to the original Marvel Zombies comics, which bodes well for horror fans. We're not talking about a simple action series with a few zombies here and there, but a true survival horror featuring the familiar faces we love.

More Than Zombies: An Epic Adventure

Andrews, however, clarified that it's not just "a zombie story," but "an epic adventure" with themes of hope and desperation. The four episodes were conceived as a "mini-cinematic event," which leads me to believe we'll have a more focused and intense narrative than longer series.

The beauty of this premise is that it completely upends our expectations. Instead of rooting for Iron Man or Captain America, we fear them. Instead of hoping for the Avengers to arrive, we hope the survivors will manage to escape them. It's a powerful narrative dynamic that few other universes could pull off.

Technically Impeccable

Visually, the series retains the same cel-shaded style as What If…?, with 3D models rendered with 2D lighting to look like flat drawings. It's a choice that works perfectly for this type of story, lending a comic-book feel that makes the more graphic scenes more digestible.

Stellar Creative Lab is back on board for animation, ensuring the stylistic continuity that ties the series to the rest of the Marvel animated universe. It won't be a revolution from a technical standpoint, but the important thing is that it serves the story without distracting.

The Future of Marvel Horror

Marvel Zombies represents an important experiment for the MCU. It's the first real attempt to bring horror into the shared universe, and it's significant that they're doing it through animation. Animation allows for freedom that live-action often doesn't, especially when it comes to graphic violence and extreme situations.

The series is planned as part of Phase Six of the MCU, a sign that Marvel considers this experiment important enough to include it in the main roadmap. And frankly, I hope this is just the beginning of a more mature and diverse approach to Marvel content.

Conclusions: A Risk Worth It

Marvel Zombies could be exactly what the MCU needed: something completely different, more adult, riskier. At a time when many are talking about "superhero fatigue," seeing these iconic characters in a completely new and terrifying guise could be just the refreshment it needs.

Of course, it won't be for everyone. Those looking for a typical family-friendly Marvel adventure will be disappointed. But for those who want to see what happens when you take off the gloves and let horror take over the universe we know so well, Marvel Zombies promises to be an unforgettable experience.

October 3rd can't come soon enough.

Marvel Zombies Coloring Pages