Marvel Execs Confront ‘Valid Criticisms’ of Phase 5 Stories, And How Marvel Zombies Fixes Them

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Since its start in 2023 with *Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania*, Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has received some negative feedback. However, two Marvel Studios leaders believe new projects will address these concerns. One of those projects, *Marvel Zombies*, is now available on Disney+. It’s a more mature take on the story from season one of *What If…?*, specifically the episode *What If…Zombies?!*, and explores a world overrun by a fast-spreading zombie virus.

Being among the first to tackle this story is already innovative. The show adapts one of Marvel’s darkest comic series, and doesn’t shy away from the intense horror and gore fans expect from zombie tales. But it’s more than just scary – *Marvel Zombies* also offers a fresh take on the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Marvel Zombies Fixes A Huge Problem With The Multiverse Saga, According To Marvel Execs

Brad Winderbaum, the Executive Producer overseeing TV, streaming, and animation, responded to a question about the death toll in *Marvel Zombies* by saying:

A common critique of stories involving multiple universes is that they can make things feel less important. However, projects like Marvel Zombies show how these stories can actually *increase* the tension. Being in a separate universe allows for real consequences, where characters can truly die without needing to be resurrected or things neatly reset. It gives creators the freedom to take risks and tell darker, more impactful stories.

Bryan Andrews, the director, story writer, and executive producer of *Marvel Zombies*, also spoke about the topic, stating:

One of the most exciting things is that the audience has no idea what to expect. Anything can happen, and there are no guarantees for anyone. People come in completely unprepared and are genuinely surprised by what unfolds. Honestly, that element of unpredictability has been missing lately. In typical franchise movies, you expect the heroes to survive. Filmmakers try to create tension, and they often succeed, but you still feel relatively safe. With this, it’s different – anyone could be in danger, and that creates a completely new kind of viewing experience.

Okay, so Winderbaum and Andrews really nailed it with this one. They tackled a big, ongoing issue and it seriously impacted the story in a great way. The reaction from both fans and critics has been amazing – it’s definitely a win!

The animated series *Marvel Zombies* features a team of heroes – including lesser-known characters like Kate Bishop and Riri Williams, alongside established figures such as Thor and Valkyrie – as they fight against a zombie outbreak caused by Wanda Maximoff. Notably, the series includes Blade, despite ongoing difficulties in getting his live-action movie made. Unfortunately, none of these heroes make it out alive.

As Winderbaum and Andrews point out, this unexpected willingness to kill off characters actually makes the show more interesting. Usually, major heroes like Thor are shielded from permanent death, especially outside of a big team-up movie like *The Avengers*. New characters, like Kate Bishop and Riri Williams, are also typically given time to develop before facing such a fate. However, both of them *appeared* to die in the first episode of *Marvel Zombies*.

The Marvel Zombies Finale Casts Doubt On The Permanence Of Death

Even though characters often stay dead in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the series *Marvel Zombies* raises doubts about that. In the show’s finale, Wanda Maximoff, gaining immense power from the “Wakanda Event,” tells Ms. Marvel she could bring back those she’s lost. This seems possible, considering how powerful Wanda is at altering reality without the Infinity Stones, even if it’s hard to believe coming from the main villain.

Even though the scene showing Kamala reunited with Riri Williams and Kate Bishop turned out to be a trick, Riri is still fighting zombies in the ongoing apocalyptic world. This, combined with the fact that she appeared to die earlier in the series, implies that death isn’t necessarily final in *Marvel Zombies*. It’s likely that despite seemingly being buried by zombies and explosions, Riri actually survived, as her body wasn’t shown being destroyed.

Despite the high body count in *Marvel Zombies*, there aren’t many heroes left for a potential follow-up season. While a second season hasn’t been confirmed, producers Winderbaum and Andrews suggest that if it happens, Ms. Marvel and Riri Williams will find themselves with few allies. To keep the story interesting, bringing characters back to life – perhaps using the Scarlet Witch’s powers or another method – might be necessary, ensuring there are still some heroes with their minds intact.

The show hints at a possible cure when the Scarlet Witch appears in New Asgard. Since some former allies ended up as zombies by the end, this suggests that getting the zombie virus might not be a death sentence. Even if *Marvel Zombies* doesn’t focus on characters permanently dying, it’s still a…

Marvel Zombies Is What The MCU Needs Right Now

While *Marvel Zombies* isn’t a standout in terms of animation quality, it came at a good time for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With films like *Captain America: Brave New World* facing criticism for being predictable, projects like *Marvel Zombies* and *Thunderbolts* demonstrate that the MCU can still take risks and try new things.

Actually, *Marvel Zombies* takes the idea of high stakes even further than *Thunderbolts* by showing major heroes either dying or becoming zombies. As Kevin Feige’s team has pointed out, audiences expect heroes to win, which lowers the tension in any movie. The Multiverse Saga, with its alternate realities and time travel, makes this problem even worse. In *Marvel Zombies*, the heroes *lost* – and many of them died, making the consequences feel truly impactful.

Marvel Zombies effectively showcases the exciting possibilities of the multiverse. As a spin-off of What If…?, it tells standalone, engaging stories that don’t impact the main Marvel Cinematic Universe storyline and are easy to understand even if you haven’t seen much else. The series also proves how the multiverse allows for experimentation with different genres while still staying true to the overall feel of the MCU.

Will Marvel Zombies Continue For A Second Season?

The first season of *Marvel Zombies* ended with a major cliffhanger, hinting at a possible second season. While the creators, Winderbaum and Andrews, are eager to continue the story, a renewal isn’t guaranteed until there’s an official announcement. The series’ future depends on how well the first season performed with viewers. Fortunately, *Marvel Zombies* has seen strong viewership numbers since its debut on September 25th, but a decision about continuing the show needs to happen soon.

The story of *Marvel Zombies* relies on the idea of a multiverse – multiple universes existing at the same time. However, Marvel Studios seems to be realizing that audiences are getting tired of multiverse storylines, especially as their current saga nears its end. This has led to rumors that *Avengers: Secret Wars* might reset the Marvel Cinematic Universe to a single timeline, effectively ending stories like *Marvel Zombies* that depend on multiple universes.

With *Avengers: Secret Wars* currently scheduled to come out on December 17, 2027, there’s a little over two years to create this new show. A decision about its production needs to be made soon to ensure it’s well-made and doesn’t feel rushed. While the first season of *Marvel Zombies* was announced in 2021, a second season shouldn’t take as long to develop and release.

Without knowing if the show will still be connected to the larger multiverse storyline, it’s hard to say if the second season of *Marvel Zombies* needs to fit into the Multiverse Saga. Marvel might be planning to adapt the *Secret Wars* comic book more faithfully, potentially bringing back the multiverse after *Avengers: Secret Wars* but downplaying the idea overall. If that happens, *Marvel Zombies* could potentially continue for several more seasons.

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2025-10-08 00:49