Marvel Zombies

Streaming on: Disney+

Episodes viewed: 4 of 4

When the now-concluded What If…? series debuted its first season in 2021, one of its most talked about episodes was ‘What If… Zombies?!’, which saw many of our beloved MCU superheroes transformed into undead monsters. It’s a premise that proved so intriguing, it led to Marvel Zombies, a miniseries that wrings more gory fun out of the idea as a band of desperate survivors try to figure a way out of an impossible situation.

Things get off to a great start in the first episode, focusing on the trio of Kamala Khan (aka. Ms Marvel, voiced by Iman Vellani), RiRi Williams (aka Ironheart, voiced by Dominique Thorne), and Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld). After the Avengers are taken over by a zombie plague, they discover the McGuffin that could end their undead nightmare, and kick off our trek through this new dystopian version of the MCU to trying to secure it.

The animation frequently levels up when depicting brutal, no-holds-barred fight sequences, especially when it comes to characters with huge power levels.

For every fan who’s been calling for a Young Avengers movie, this functions as an exciting proof of concept. Their banter is funny and natural, and even though they’ve never collectively shared the screen before, it’s easy to believe the group have been best friends for years. Creator Bryan Andrews and writer Zeb Wells are smart to keep Ms. Marvel as the lynchpin of the series, and Vellani once again proves that she’s one of the best casting decisions the MCU has made. While What If…? sometimes had a tonal problem when it came to balancing humour and heaviness, Vellani helps make sure the grim moments are felt without losing the character’s effervescent spark.

Speaking of MCU alumni, a good amount of familiar names lend vocals to their characters – Elizabeth Olsen (Scarlet Witch), Simu Liu (Shang-Chi), Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova), and the always energetic David Harbour (Red Guardian) are among the actors getting in on the animated action. But arguably the biggest standout is Blade Knight, a variant of Blade who became Khonshu’s avatar (see Marvel TV show Moon Knight) when this universe’s Marc Spector (played by Oscar Isaac in live-action) was consumed by the zombie plague. Conceived with the understanding that an MCU Blade movie would’ve come and gone by now, Blade Knight looks like that film’s would-be star Mahershala Ali, but is actually voiced by Todd Williams. His smooth vocals combined with a handful of spectacular combat moments make this version of the Daywalker a consistent highlight.

The animation frequently levels up when depicting brutal, no-holds-barred fight sequences, especially when it comes to characters with huge power levels. A zombified Namor is fearsome, the return of Eternals’ Ikaris (Marvel animation continues to make better use of the MCU’s deep, almost forgotten bench than the live-action offerings) is a welcome surprise, and the finale features yet more colourful invention. Frustratingly, though, it doesn’t quite stick the landing. With alternate universes, you can take big risks, and ultimately the final moments of Marvel Zombies play things way too safe. It’s an underwhelming ending to a really fun ride.