‘Marvel Zombies’ is Undead and Underwhelming
Twenty years ago, the limited run of Marvel Zombies hit comic stands. Now, the story of our favorite heroes turned flesh-hungry undead horde is brought to life through the colorfully vibrant animation style of Marvel’s What If…? series. The idea was first explored in the fifth episode of the first season of What If…?, and was hinted at even earlier when the zombified corpse of Tony Stark clawed himself from the grave thanks to Mysterio’s illusions in Spider-Man: Far From Home. But is the story strong enough to support a four-episode miniseries on its own?
The cast and characters of Marvel Zombies
The cast is comprised primarily of Marvel newcomers, characters who’ve entered the cinematic universe post-Thanos, and many of whom haven’t had the opportunity to shine yet. Simu Liu, Florence Pugh, Iman Vellani, Hailee Steinfeld, and more all return to voice the animated versions of their Marvel heroes.
Most notably absent is Mahershala Ali as Eric Brooks, aka Blade Knight. After being cast as the half-human, half-vampire hybrid in 2019, the two-time Oscar-winning actor has done little more than appear as a whispering, off-screen voice in the post-credit scene of the ill-fated Eternals. Taking over as the voice of Blade (or Blade Knight) is Todd Williams (9-1-1, Invincible). Williams does a strong enough job bringing Blade’s voice to life, but the depiction feels unsatisfying and underwhelming for a character that has been teased and dangled over fans for such a long time.
This ultimately becomes the miniseries’ greatest strength and most glaring flaw. It’s exciting to see Kate Bishop, Shang-Chi, and others back in the MCU, but Marvel Zombies never feels like a worthy vessel to deliver the best that these characters have to offer.
With four episodes, each running an average of thirty minutes, the miniseries as a whole has a runtime comparable to that of most MCU feature films. I suspect it would have benefited from the feature film treatment, even as a straight-to-Disney+ release. What If…? works to a degree because each episode is more or less a standalone adventure exploring a varied alternate reality, utilizing familiar characters. Marvel Zombies ditches the anthology setup for a continuing story that never feels fleshed out.
Kamala Khan, Kate Bishop, and Riri Williams (all voiced by their respective live-action performers) open the series as a trio of hardened heroes working as a team to survive the zombie apocalypse. It’s a fantastic dynamic, and the trio of heroines feels destined to share the screen. I would have preferred if their dynamic remained the central element of the series, but unfortuatnly that’s not the case.
Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld, Sinners), acting as the heir of the Hawkeye title, was introduced in the Hawkeye series back in 2021. It was a smaller-scale production that perfectly passed the torch from Jeremy Renner’s iconic iteration of the hero to a younger Avenger for a new generation and then failed to follow through on the promising premise it set up.
Twists and turns keep the audience guessing in this Marvel animated series
To the series’ benefit, it keeps its audience guessing, delivering twists and turns that defy traditional expectations of a Marvel series. It’s a freedom allotted to the story by non-canonical ties to the MCU’s main timeline. No character is safe, which adds a level of tension, but that tension ultimately wanes because none of it feels important or even relevant.
Audiences have largely grown tired of the MCU’s attempts at television. The bulk of their series have failed to justify their existence, adding to the MCU’s shifting reputation and deterring newcomers who find the thought of binging thirty-seven movies and thirteen+ television series as homework too daunting an undertaking. In that regard, Marvel Zombies is undoubtedly the type of series the MCU should be making: a completely standalone, breezy (if unimportant) story with familiar faces.
Final thoughts on Marvel Zombies
The Multiverse Saga has taken a beating from fans. Some of the criticisms have been valid; others have felt unfairly harsh. But the MCU hasn’t taken full advantage of the opportunities a multiverse presents.
Outside of Spider-Man: No Way Home bringing back Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, and Deadpool & Wolverine giving us one of Hugh Jackman’s best performances as Wolverine, the shining achievements of the Multiverse Saga have been minimal. Taking our favorite heroes and villains and turning them into flesh-eating zombies is a prime example of utilizing a multiverse to its full potential.
An interesting aspect of the story is the way that zombified characters maintain their powers and abilities, retaining the skills they had in their human form. The team behind Marvel Zombies seems to be having fun with the concept, which is the ultimate goal. But despite its vibrant animation style and the appeal of its premise, its story often feels meandering, and I never felt locked in.
Is it the dreaded superhero fatigue I’ve read so much about? I don’t think so. I had a blast with Superman, and even Thunderbolts* was a great time. It feels more like the creators have relied too heavily on the idea of Marvel characters as zombies being their sole draw and hook and neglected to add anything else of significance.
I’ve been on the MCU train since the beginning, boarding back in 2008 when I first saw Iron Man in theaters. I haven’t grown tired of it yet, but my patience for a weak or lazily constructed story has certainly thinned.
Also check out: Book Review: What If… Marc Spector Was Host to Venom? by Mike Chen
