When Marvel Zombies was first announced in November 2021, considerable excitement surrounded the potential of the animated series. Spun off from the What If…? episode centered on a zombie infection taking over the MCU, the show would incorporate newer characters, such as Shang-Chi and Yelena Belova, into this new post-apocalyptic zombie world. Although it may have taken some time to arrive, the Marvel Television project is now available on Disney+. Interestingly, Marvel Zombies was promoted as a 4-episode limited event series, suggesting it would be a one-and-done project. However, now that the entirety of the show is out, it has left some wondering if Marvel intends to go back on their word.
The final episode of Marvel Zombies features an epic battle for the fate of not only the zombie-infected Earth but also the entire universe. The destruction of the Infinity Stones in an earlier episode unleashed uncontrolled energy, which was only contained by Bruce Banner as the Hulk. Zombie Scarlet Witch wishes to take that energy for herself and reshape everything as she sees fit, and the final episode of the series never fully resolves the conflict. So, does Marvel Zombies have a future, whether that be in live-action or through another medium?
Despite Being Four Episodes, ‘Marvel Zombies’ Leaves Its Conclusion Open Ended
Iman Vellani’s Kamala Khan is essentially the main character of Marvel Zombies, and her powers ultimately play a crucial role in the overarching narrative, as well as in Scarlet Witch’s plans to alter the universe. So, the battle the surviving characters go through is less about completing a set goal and more about Kamala giving in to the Scarlet Witch’s deception. This is where the fourth episode of Marvel Zombies takes an unexpected and strange turn, leaving audiences wondering why this four-episode series has an open-ended conclusion.
The battle abruptly ends with Kamala waking up in her bedroom, with New York unchanged from before the zombie apocalypse. It’s certainly a strange occurrence, with viewers (and Ms. Marvel) believing that the Scarlet Witch actually fixed everything. However, the episode ends with Kamala being briefly taken out of her illusion by Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne), who tells Kamala that she hacked the system and that none of what Kamala sees is real. With that, Marvel Zombies ends, leaving the impression that Marvel Television never intended for this limited series to have a definitive conclusion, instead leaving the door open for these characters to return.
The World of ‘Marvel Zombies’ Could Possibly Return in Another Medium
So far, the Multiverse Saga of the MCU has featured numerous different versions of iconic characters and has even explored the idea of having different iterations of characters working together. Spider-Man: No Way Home and Deadpool & Wolverine are both the most prominent examples. With the Marvel Zombies universe in limbo after the cliffhanger ending, it feels like Bryan Andrews, Zeb Wells, Bryan Winderbaum, and the rest of the team at Marvel Television want to try to revisit Kamala and whatever characters are still alive in the zombie world ruled by Scarlet Witch. Pair that with Vellani’s young star power and her ability to appear in other MCU projects, and things start getting interesting.
Seeing Vellani or Thorne play these versions of the heroes in live-action would be exciting, though it seems more likely that the conflict will be resolved in a second season of Marvel Zombies. Whatever ends up happening, it doesn’t seem like Marvel Television is ready to leave the zombie-infected world behind just yet. Although this seems like the studio going back on its word regarding the series’ one-off nature, it may be for the best. The idea of zombies threatening people beyond their universe is an opportunity too exciting to ignore. Marvel Zombies is streaming now on Disney+.
- Release Date
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September 24, 2025
- Network
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Disney+
- Directors
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Bryan Andrews
- Franchise(s)
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Marvel Cinematic Universe
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
