TV Review: Marvel Zombies

*Spoilers for Marvel Zombies (2025)*

After the introduction to the zombie apocalypse in Marvel’s What If…, in one of the many multiverses of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Bryan Andrews’ Marvel Zombies (2025), takes a dark, dystopian turn into the world of the undead. Following the few remaining Avengers, led by Ms. Marvel (voiced by Iman Vellani), the search for a cure to the apocalypse is on, and the fragmented Avengers now face the most trying sacrifice, loss, and uncertainty getting in their way of survival.

…even with its originality, it is interesting to see Andrews draw on previous Marvel projects, with plenty of references to pay homage to the much-loved franchise

Andrews adopts a relatively overused narrative trope in relation to the zombie apocalypse, though this does not necessarily mean it is nondescript. Instead, there is a level of unpredictability about the story; each episode leaves its audience with a sense of intrigue and questioning, leaving nothing with a definitive conclusion. Still, even with its originality, it is interesting to see Andrews draw on previous Marvel projects, with plenty of references to pay homage to the much-loved franchise, something that every avid Marvel fan loves to see.

Ms. Marvel is an intriguing choice to lead; her childish innocence appears to entirely juxtapose this macabre universe. The inexperience and insecurity that she portrays contradict the power she wields, threatening even the most powerful opponents that she and the heroes confront, showing Marvel Zombies to be a show not only of survival and struggle but also of determination and self-actualisation.

Alongside Ms. Marvel, we see a surprisingly fantastic cast lineup, with returning favourites including but not limited to Scott Lang (voiced by Paul Rudd), Shang Chi (voiced by Simu Liu), and Yelena Belova (voiced by Florence Pugh). It is undoubtedly exciting for Marvel fans to see such an assembly of characters and cast, as Andrews tracks through such an expansive range of previously seen figures. Essentially, Marvel Zombies finds the middle ground between nostalgia and new, passing the torch from the original to the latest generation of Avengers in the MCU.

However, critically, the quick pacing between the different character cliques doesn’t give the full effect that it intends. Whilst there is a sentimentality around tying together the MCU’s characters, their short story arcs leave little room for character development, and rather leaves a sense of fragmentation and unfulfillment, which is unfortunate considering the interesting spins that the viewers have been introduced to, that have failed to be fully explored, such as the portrayal of Blade as Moonknight (voiced by Todd Williams). Though, the speculation of a season two does bring some hope for a deeper exploration into the lives of these multiversal characters in the world of the zombie apocalypse.

…the perfect watch for a coupling of comedy and thrill with an edge of light horror.

Marvel Zombies’ inventive and stylised animation, that combines both the two dimensional and the three dimensional, as previously seen in What If…, is just one of the fascinating characteristics of this mini-series, with an avant-garde reminiscence of comic book art. Not only is there an aesthetically pleasing aspect to this series, but the consistent, cool toned, desaturated colour grading also acts to bring the horror genre to life, alluding to the Queen of the Dead, Wanda Maximoff (voiced by Elizabeth Olsen) throughout. Technically, this composes the perfect horror show, with Laura Karpman and Nora Kroll-Rosenbaum’s score and David Jeffrey Phillips’ visual effects and cinematography contributing nicely to the genre. However, we must consider the lack of execution in its script, where dialogue, that too far crosses the line of comedy, leads the show astray from the horror it was intended to showcase. Though, this is not shocking since Marvel has perpetually shied away from more extreme and overt violence and gore.

Whilst the MCU’s multiverse saga has been met with significant scrutiny in recent years, Marvel Zombies can be considered an indicator of its gradual revival. Providing a much-needed break from the complex intertwining of the MCU’s multiverse saga, as a spin off mini-series of just four episodes, reaching a total runtime of 133 minutes, it is the perfect watch for a coupling of comedy and thrill with an edge of light horror.

Marvel Zombies is now streaming exclusively on Disney+.