I went into Marvel Zombies expecting a dark spin on the MCU, something like a full-on horror movie in animation form. And in parts, it really is. Heroes you know are torn apart, twisted into monsters, and the fights are vicious. But somewhere between Kamala Khan carrying the whole story, Scarlet Witch bending reality into her nightmare, and Hulk turning into a living Infinity Gauntlet, I caught myself asking: is this the zombie epic Marvel promised, or a good idea trapped in a smaller box? That question kept me watching and the show answered with blood.
I already saw @davidpena21 already posted on this topic, but better late than never, so here's my review.
Synopsis
Before diving deeper, here’s the setup. A zombie virus spreads through the Quantum Realm, infecting Earth’s heroes. Most of the classic Avengers fall early, leaving Phase 4 characters like Kamala Khan, Shang-Chi, Kate Bishop, and Blade Knight to survive. Across four short episodes, they battle Scarlet Witch’s growing undead army, discover Hulk infused with Infinity Stone energy, and make one last desperate stand to save what’s left of their world.
Trailer
First Impressions
The opening annoyed me. Ms. Marvel is suddenly at the center of everything, while characters I really wanted more from, like Blade Knight, Infinity Hulk are shown as a side character whereas Ms. Marvel is the lead. The world felt rushed. Why do we jump so quickly between battles without explaining what people want or why? I almost rolled my eyes at some of the leaps.
But then the story started leaning into its weirdness. Zombie Captain Marvel locked in a 5-year nonstop fight with Ikaris,destroying everything in their path. Blade wielding Konshu’s power and slicing Zombies with brutality. Zemo sacrificed people to Namor’s zombies. Spider-Man ripping zombie heads with brutal precision. These ideas are wild, and even when they don’t fully land, they hooked me. I realized the series wasn’t going to be clean or careful, it was going to be messy, bloody, and tragic.
The Villain
Scarlet Witch is the big bad here, and she mostly works. She’s manipulative, scary, and her reveal in New Asgard pretending to be normal until Blade sees through her illusion was a great moment. But I also wanted more clarity. Why exactly does she need Kamala so badly? The bangle explanation feels vague. She’s strong enough to reshape reality on her own, so why the shortcuts? She’s terrifying in execution, but her motivation feels fuzzy. Still another season is confirmed and we can expect some clarity on on Wanda's ambitions.
What Worked for Me ✅
- The horror tone. Some kills are brutal in the best way. (Spiderman vs Zombies, Blade Knight slicing Hank Pym in half, Hulk smashes Thor etc..)
- Scarlet Witch’s reveal in New Asgard—chilling and clever.
- Infinity Hulk. The idea alone is incredible.
- Blade Knight, even if underused. The concept rocks. (His fight with Zombie Ghost was Epic)
What Didn’t Work ❌
- Episodes feel too short. Like a chopped-up movie, not a full series.
- Ms. Marvel carrying too much without enough reason.
- Big sacrifices (like Riri, Yelena, even Black Panther) don’t get enough weight.
- Scarlet Witch’s exact motivation with Kamala’s bangle never gets clear.
My Opinion
Here’s where I land. Marvel Zombies is ambitious, messy, and unforgettable in moments, but also frustrating. The fights are where it soars. Infinity Hulk vs. Wanda, the zombie Asgardians, Thor vs. Infinity Hulk, the constant dread of Scarlet Witch’s army, that’s the good stuff. But character work falls short. Too many deaths feel like checkmarks, not heartbreaks.
The ending is pure downer: Wanda wins, reshapes the world into her illusion, and Kamala is left trapped in a fake PERFECT reality. It’s bleak, and it fits the comic tone, but I couldn’t help but wish the journey there had been sharper. However, the cliff-hanger is something that'll fuel the hype for the upcoming season.
So, should you watch it? If you love Marvel and want to see it drenched in horror, absolutely. It’s short, wild, and gory. Just don’t expect the depth of What If…? or the polish of X-Men ‘97.
For my score, I’d give it a 3 out of 5. The action and ideas hit a 4, but the writing and pacing pull it down to a 2.5. Average them out, and it lands in the middle: worth your time, but not the masterpiece it could have been.
My favorite part was the Infinity Hulk showdown. Watching Hulk as a glowing anchor being, holding off Wanda’s army, fighting Zombie Thor, only to fall - it’s tragic, epic, and the closest the show gets to greatness.
Now I’m curious: what moment hit you the hardest? Was it Black Panther’s sacrifice, Scarlet Witch’s reveal, or the final twist with Kamala waking up in her fake “perfect” world?