This review was made possible by Popped receiving an advanced screener of Marvel Zombies, provided by Disney+ for review.
Marvel Animation’s first TV-MA series, Marvel Zombies, is a follow-up from What If…? Season 1, Episode 5 titled What If…Zombies?!, which was originally released in 2021. The series is not a direct continuation and can be enjoyed with no previous viewings. The four-part series takes place five years later, following a group of survivors who may just have a way to save the world. The only question is, can they survive long enough to do it?
A Chaotic, Bloody Mission To Save The World
When a possible cure is found for the zombie apocalypse that has been ravaging the world for five years, a group of survivors travel across the country to find a spaceship, it’s the only way to execute their plan to save Earth. Our main protagonist on this journey is Kamala Khan, who must help keep a small device safe until she can get to space and call for help.
Others join her along her journey, such as Blade Knight (voiced by Todd Williams), a version of Blade who is also an avatar of the god Khonshu, Yelena Belova (voiced by Florence Pugh), and Red Guardian (voiced by David Harbour). Along the journey, others join, while others are lost to zombies, many whom are being directly controlled by the Red Queen, Wanda Maximoff (voiced by Elizabeth Olsen). You think zombies are scary? Try zombies with superpowers being controlled by one of the most powerful beings in the world. Now that’s scary.
Zombies aren’t the only thing working against the group, as some other survivors aren’t all that friendly. Some survivors prefer the world the way it is and have learned to benefit from it, or at least that’s what you might be led to believe. Not everything is what it seems.
No, Your Favorite Isn’t Safe
Don’t get attached, because in this post-apocalyptic world, where zombies have taken over everything, no one is safe. The series is filled with fan favorites, like Spider-Man (voiced by Hudson Thames), but that doesn’t mean they all make it to the end. The series also has some surprising appearances, such as Rintrah (voiced by Adam Hugill) and Sara (voiced by Sheila Atim), two characters last seen in Doctor Strange in The Multiverse of Madness. Though with the Scarlet Witch as the villain, perhaps it’s not surprising at all. Although some characters are lost to the hoard, others make the sacrifice play for the greater good.
The series isn’t all death, which is what makes it interesting. Underneath all the gore is a story with twists and turns that’ll make you want to click play on the next episode immediately (and no, there aren’t any post-credit scenes.) Although the story does slow down sometimes, the half-hour episodes never feel like a waste of time. They move the story along in a meaningful way in each one.
‘Marvel Zombies’ – Final Thoughts
The series is filled with brutal murders and plenty of blood, earning that TV-MA rating. If animated gore makes you queasy, you’re better off sitting this one out, but if crazy killings and jump scares are your thing, you’re going to want to check this out. It’s nice to see some characters we haven’t seen much of shine in this series, though I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little disappointed not to see some of my favorites (Bucky Barnes, where are you?)
The series is action-packed, exciting, and so very scary. It does lull at times before picking right back up again. You never know what’s going to happen next. The final episode is one of my favorites from Marvel Animation so far. If Marvel wanted to somehow pick this story up again in the future, I’d be more than happy to watch more.
Marvel Zombies is now streaming on Disney+. Check out the trailer below:
The Review
Marvel Zombies
Marvel Zombies embraces its TV-MA rating with bloody kills, jump scares, and a spotlight on underused characters, even if some fan favourites are missing. It’s scary, action-packed, and capped off with a standout finale that ranks among Marvel Animation’s best.
