Films for Breakfast

One of the standout episodes of Marvel Studios’ What If…? was undoubtedly its Zombie installment. It was one of the rare episodes of an otherwise underwhelming series that truly embraced the show’s premise, diving into a fresh, eerie concept while cleverly weaving in elements from across each corner of the MCU canon. So, it’s not all that surprising that it became a backdoor pilot for Marvel Zombies – a new series that continues the story, this time following Kamala Khan, Kate Bishop, and Riri Williams (all voiced by their live-action counterparts) as they fight to survive in a post-apocalyptic, zombie-infested world.

To my delight, Marvel Zombies is a worthy expansion of that original What If…? episode, using it as a springboard to explore how the infection spreads and reshapes the entire Marvel universe. Iman Vellani’s Kamala Khan takes center stage, carrying the series with the same infectious charm she brings to her live-action appearances. Along the way, Kamala crosses paths with factions like Shang-Chi and his crew, Yelena and the Red Guardian leading an army of Black Widows, and even Baron Zemo, who makes clever use of the apocalypse to his own advantage.

At just four episodes, the series is surprisingly packed with creativity – something What If…? often struggled to maintain. The joy here lies in seeing characters who’ve never shared the screen in live-action finally interact, with team-ups that feel genuinely fresh and exciting. I won’t spoil the specific set pieces or the ways certain heroes get zombified, but characters like the Asgardians, Hulk, Namor, Scarlet Witch, and Blade all have standout moments that had me grinning ear to ear. The whole thing bursts with imagination, as if the show can barely contain its giddy enthusiasm for smashing together so many corners of the Marvel mythos.

One of the more fascinating threads ties directly back to What If…?, picking up with Spider-Man, Ant-Man, and T’Challa’s Black Panther as they confront Zombie Thanos in Wakanda. How the series handles that scenario is easily one of its most entertaining surprises. If I have a gripe, it’s that the overarching villain’s motive feels a little undercooked – something explored more fully in What If…?, but glossed over here. Still, the show wastes virtually no time, cramming every minute with gory, TV-MA thrills. Seeing iconic heroes killed or turned in shockingly violent fashion is unlike anything you’d get in live-action canon, and the show revels in that freedom. Even with a slightly thin villain arc, Marvel Zombies is an easy recommendation – one of Marvel’s most entertaining swings in a while.