Superheroes saving the world is nothing new. But superheroes devouring the world? That’s where “Marvel Zombies” comes in. What started as a wild comic experiment in 2005 has since become one of Marvel’s most infamous storylines, twisting beloved heroes like Spider-Man, Captain America, and Iron Man into flesh-hungry monsters. It was gruesome, morbidly humorous, and strangely tragic. Now, nearly two decades later, the MCU is giving the undead Avengers their very own series.
For many fans, the first taste of Marvel’s zombie apocalypse came in “What If…?” Season 1, where Episode 5 reimagined the populated film universe as members of the undead. And it didn’t really pull punches, as fan-favourites like Bucky, Falcon, and Iron Man were killed off shockingly.
And now, in the big ’25, “Marvel Zombies” arrives as a four-part animated event series, expanding upon the dark, desolate universe teased in “What If…?”. The new show brings together a mix of survivors and fresh undead threats, with the promise of high-stakes battles, shocking deaths, and the kind of twisted alternate-world storytelling that only animation can deliver, whether you’ve followed the comics from the start or are just curious after watching “What If…?”, here’s everything you need to know before diving in.
“Marvel Zombies” Comics Origins Explained
The concept of Marvel’s greatest heroes becoming flesh-hungry monsters began in 2005 with “Marvel Zombies”, a five-issue limited series written by Robert Kirkman (yes, the same creator behind “The Walking Dead”) and drawn by Sean Phillips.
The story was set in an alternate universe, Earth-2149, where a mysterious virus infects Earth’s mightiest heroes. Within hours, the Avengers, X-Men, and Fantastic Four fall. However, the catch is that these zombies retain their intelligence, memories, and powers. That makes them far more dangerous than mindless corpses. Spider-Man still web-swings across New York… but he’s hunting his next meal. Captain America (here called Colonel America) still leads a team… only now it’s a pack of cannibals.
The comics didn’t shy away from shocking imagery and twisted humour. Zombie Hulk devours Galactus, only for the zombies to inherit the cosmic power. Zombie Spider-Man wrestles with guilt after eating Mary Jane and Aunt May. Iron Man, headless but still conscious, continues functioning thanks to his armour. It was brutal, grotesque, and wildly imaginative, which was exactly the kind of bold experiment Marvel rarely attempted at the time.
The popularity of the first series led to multiple sequels and spin-offs:
Marvel Zombies 2 (2007): Set 40 years later, the original infected heroes return to Earth after consuming most of the known universe.
Marvel Zombies 3 (2008) & 4 (2009): Shifted the focus back to Earth-616 (the main Marvel universe), with characters like Morbius and Machine Man confronting the zombie outbreak.
Marvel Zombies Return (2009): A five-part mini-series structured like an anthology, with different creative teams showing how the infection spreads across alternate realities.
Later appearances: The zombies popped up in big Marvel crossovers, including “Marvel Zombies vs. Army of Darkness” (where Ash from Evil Dead faces off against the undead Avengers) and tie-ins to “Secret Wars” (2015), where the zombie horde appeared as one of Battleworld’s most terrifying domains.
By the mid-2010s, Marvel Zombies had become one of Marvel’s most enduring alternate universes, influencing games, merch, and fan culture. It was equal parts horror and satire, often poking fun at Marvel’s own tropes while leaning into extreme gore.
How Did Zombies Enter The MCU?
The MCU first canonised the undead in the first season of “What If…?”. In the episode titled “What If… Zombies!?”, the journey embarks on an alternate story which takes place around the time of “Infinity War” but with hordes and hordes of zombies.
It all begins when Hank Pym finally rescues his long-lost wife Janet van Dyne from the Quantum Realm — only to discover she’s been infected with a mysterious quantum virus. Janet infects Hank almost immediately, and when the two return to his lab, Scott Lang becomes their next victim. Only Hope van Dyne escapes. Within 24 hours, the virus spreads across the Northwestern United States. When the Avengers assemble to contain the outbreak, they too are overwhelmed, turning what should have been Earth’s last defence into the start of a worldwide zombie apocalypse.
Marvel Zombies in What If…? Episode 5 Recap
Two weeks later, Bruce Banner crash-lands back on Earth to warn of Thanos’ impending invasion. However, he finds a planet already in ruins. He quickly encounters Ebony Maw and Cull Obsidian. Nevertheless, before they can wreak havoc, the two lieutenants are torn apart by zombified versions of Tony Stark, Stephen Strange, and Wong. Soon, Hope and the Cloak of Levitation swoop in to save Banner from the chaos. Soon after, Spider-Man pulls him into a surviving group of heroes: Bucky Barnes, Okoye, Sharon Carter, Happy Hogan, and Kurt.
The survivors head for Camp Lehigh in New Jersey, following rumours of a cure. Along the way, they face zombified versions of their former friends, Captain America, Hawkeye, and Falcon, who manage to infect Sharon, Happy, and eventually Hope herself. In her final act before succumbing, Hope sacrifices herself to carry the group to safety at the camp.
There, they discover Vision, who has been using the power of the Mind Stone to hold the virus at bay. He has even kept Scott Lang alive, though only as a head in a jar. But the victory is short-lived. The group learns that Vision has secretly been feeding survivors to a zombified Wanda Maximoff, unable to bring himself to kill her. Among her victims: T’Challa, who is found weakened but alive. When Wanda inevitably breaks free, she slaughters Kurt, Bucky, and Okoye in a terrifying display of raw, unchecked power.
Realising his mistake, Vision sacrifices himself, handing over the Mind Stone so the survivors can attempt to cure the world. Banner too chooses to stay behind, transforming into the Hulk to hold back Wanda and the massive zombie horde while Peter, Scott’s head-in-a-jar, T’Challa, and the Cloak escape on a stolen jet.
The episode ends on a chilling twist: the survivors are headed to Wakanda to use the Mind Stone’s energy as a cure, unaware that the nation has already fallen. A zombified Thanos stands at its gates, Infinity Gauntlet nearly complete, ready to unleash cosmic devastation on an already broken world.
What to Expect From The Marvel Zombies Disney+ Series
The upcoming “Marvel Zombies” series builds directly on the foundation of the “What If…?” episode, but it takes things much further. Instead of a single half-hour story, Marvel is expanding the nightmare into a fuller animated series. It will take a deeper dive into the outbreak, the survivors, and the horrors of a world where Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are now Earth’s deadliest predators.
Marvel has confirmed that this will not just be a retread. It is part sequel and part expansion of the zombie timeline, creating a fully fleshed-out ‘What If… Zombies!?’ universe. New characters will step into the spotlight, showing us different corners of the MCU through this twisted lens.
Since the project was originally pitched during the Phase 4 and 5 era, the roster reflects that lineup. Do not expect newer additions like Sentry from “Thunderbolts*”, the Red Hulk from “Captain America: Brave New World”, or Marvel’s First Family from “Fantastic Four” to appear here. Instead, the focus will be on characters tied to the post-“Endgame” MCU, mixing both familiar survivors and zombified threats.
Fans shouldn’t go in expecting “Marvel Zombies” to serve as a direct continuation of the “What If…?” episode. Although the series will acknowledge the fallout of that episode and even revisit it briefly, the series will not spend too much time on it. Instead, the spotlight shifts toward newer MCU characters, particularly Kamala Khan’s Ms Marvel, who anchors much of the emotional core. Her journey, alongside other fresh survivors like Kate Bishop and Riri Williams, frames the narrative as a next-generation story of survival rather than a straight sequel.
As with its predecessor, nobody is safe. Plot armour is practically non-existent in this universe. The trailer shows heroes and villains being sliced, shredded, and devoured in gloriously gruesome ways. Marvel has also given the series a TV-MA rating, making it one of the darkest projects in the MCU to date. It is going to be bloody, it is going to be bold, and for our ragtag survivors, it is going to be anything but easy.
Which Characters Will Appear in Marvel Zombies?
Marvel Studios has revealed a stacked lineup of heroes and villains, some alive, some very much undead.
Survivors include:
Kate Bishop/Hawkeye
Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel
- Riri Williams/Ironheart
Yelena Belova
Shang-Chi
Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian
- Melina Vostokov
Death Dealer
Jimmy Woo
Eric Brooks/Blade Knight
Katy Chen
- Baron Zemo
Peter Parker/Spider-Man
- T’Challa/Black Panther
Thor
- Scott Lang/Ant-Man
- Ikaris
- Valkyrie
Confirmed zombies include:
Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch
Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel
- Ava Starr/Ghost
Emil Blonsky/Abomination
Clint Barton/Hawkeye
- Steve Rogers/Captain America
Okoye
- Namor
Thanos
Namor
- Hope Pym/Wasp
It’s a mix of newer MCU favourites and classic Avengers, which should make for some brutal clashes between the living and the undead.
Perhaps the most intriguing character in the lineup is Blade Knight. “Marvel Zombies” marks the first proper MCU appearance of Eric Brooks after his voice cameo in “Eternals”. Yet, Marvel has given him a unique twist for the series. Here, Blade is not just the Daywalker; he has also been fused with Moon Knight, serving as the avatar of Khonshu.
It is an unexpected but thematically fitting combination, blending two of Marvel’s darkest supernatural heroes into a single character. In a world overrun by the undead, that mix of vampiric resilience and god-given power could make Blade one of the most formidable survivors in the fight against the zombie horde.
All 4 episodes of “Marvel Zombies” will be streaming this 24 September exclusively on Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia.
