Marvel Zombies: A four-part What If spin-off expands the MCU’s undead frontier

Disney+ has released Marvel Zombies, a four-episode adult animated series that expands the world introduced in the 2021 What If… episode What If… Zombies?! The miniseries centers on Kamala Khan / Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani), Riri Williams / Ironheart (Dominique Thorne), and Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) as the few humans who have not fallen to a zombie plague that has ravaged the MCU. With the exception of a handful of heroes, the world is overrun, and the trio, along with Tony Stark's AI FRIDAY (Kerry Condon), must improvise to stay alive while seeking a cure.

During a season of hiding in Kate's fortified home, the group stumbles upon a crashed Quinjet and a shrunken transmitter inside the dead pilot. The device appears central to restarting civilization, prompting a cross-country mission to track a S.H.I.E.L.D. ping in Ohio. Their quest runs into major danger, and in the Valley of the Broken Gods Kate is killed and Riri's fate remains unclear. Kamala then teams with Blade, the avatar of Khonshu, to press on toward the Ohio base where Melina Vostokoff (Kari Wahlgren), Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), and Red Guardian (David Harbour) join the effort. The team discovers that activating the transmitter and launching it into space could be the only way to cure the zombie virus, all while Wanda Maximoff as the Queen of the Dead commands the undead and hunts them across the landscape.

Marvel Zombies features a large slate of returning MCU voices. In addition to Vellani, Thorne, and Steinfeld, the cast also includes Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Simu Liu as a recognizable MCU hero, Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda, and others. Kerry Condon voices FRIDAY, and Todd Williams voices Blade, the Moon God Khonshu's avatar. The production comes from Marvel Animation, tapping the studio's repertoire of action-driven animation that balances superhero spectacle with zombie horror. The show leans into a dense comic book style with easter eggs that fans can chase across the MCU.

Critics have noted that Marvel Zombies requires substantial background in the MCU to fully grasp the setup and terminology. The narrative moves quickly and can feel jargon-heavy at times, with exposition kept to a minimum in favor of action. Even so, the series is praised for its visual ambition, with fluid fight sequences and a creepy, unsettling atmosphere that suits a zombie apocalypse within the familiar universe. For viewers who do not know the previous What If episode or the wider MCU, the core premise remains intriguing, though some plot threads may feel opaque until later episodes.

The show sits at the intersection of superhero spectacle and zombie apocalypse storytelling, blending Marvel humor with horror-toned stakes. It nods to postapocalyptic works while preserving familiar character dynamics, so fans should expect cameos and nods that reward long-time watchers.

Marvel Zombies is currently streaming all four episodes on Disney+. Pricing includes an ad-supported plan at 9.99 per month and an ad-free option at 15.99 per month, with annual subscriptions available at 159.99. Disney+ bundles with Hulu, Max and ESPN+ offer additional configurations starting at 10.99 per month for Disney+ and Hulu with ads and up to 29.99 per month for a bundle that includes three services ad-free. The miniseries is pitched for MCU fans and zombie genre enthusiasts, not necessarily a casual viewer.

As Kamala, Blade, Yelena, and Red Guardian set out to deliver the transmitter into space, Marvel Zombies positions itself as a high-gloss expansion of the MCU that invites both hardcore fans and curious newcomers to explore a world where heroes and zombies share the same stage.