Marvel’s latest TV series, Marvel Zombies, has shot to the top of Disney+’s streaming charts, dethroning Hulu’s Alien: Earth in the process. A spinoff of Marvel’s What If…?, Marvel Zombies showcases a version of Earth in which the Scarlet Witch, now better known as the Queen of the Dead, rules over the zombified remains of the Avengers and the world’s civilians.
At the start of the show’s four-episode (first) season, only a handful of heroes have managed to avoid the curse of the undead, including Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan, Kate Bishop, Iron Heart/RiRi Williams, Shang-Chi, and Yelena Belova. It’s a creative take on the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s lore, and despite its animated format and short season, viewers are clearly interested in the story.
At the time of publication on September 27, Marvel Zombies is currently number 1 on Disney’s Global Top TV Shows list, having also held the spot on September 26. The series debuted on the streamer in full on September 24. Whether this will be enough to garner a second season renewal remains to be seen.
What This Means For Marvel Zombies’ Future
Although reviews for Marvel Zombies have been mixed – the series holds a 64% aggregate critics’ score and a more favorable 79% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes – the show’s streaming success may be enough to persuade Disney to consider renewing the show for a second season. After all, Marvel’s What If…? had a three-season run on Disney+, and Zombies certainly concluded with an open ending.
Director Bryan Andrews and executive producer Brad Winderbaum have expressed an interest in a second season of Marvel Zombies, with Andrews confirming that he and his writing partner, Zeb Wells, already know how the story will continue. In an interview with ScreenRant, Andrews explained:
“I was very protective of not making it feel too overdone or too cliffhanger-y. I think we found the perfect balance. There’s a bleakness to it, and yes, we know what happens after. So if enough people watch this and yell loudly enough, maybe we get to do the next one.”
Likewise, Winderbaum reiterated how important it was for people to watch the show if they wanted a second season. The EP also explained why the show’s rich and independent lore is such an interesting thing to explore, likening Andrews’ ideas for the show and this corner of the Marvel universe to a “D&D campaign.”
Our Take On Marvel Zombies’ Streaming Success
While Marvel remains one of the biggest brands in entertainment, its power has been waning in recent years, as the franchise suffers from lower box office numbers and faces the challenge of a complete overhaul for Marvel Television. How well could a spinoff of an animated series that isn’t part of the main MCU timeline truly fare in that environment?
All things considered, the current success of Marvel Zombies is genuinely encouraging. Clearly, fans are interested in new and interesting superhero angles, and Zombies provides that in spades. While these characters are familiar, it’s great to see how Wanda Maximoff’s twisted world has shaped them, and it’s fun to watch Marvel test its limits with a more mature, bloodier story.
I’d love to know whether Kamala Khan can break free of the Scarlet Witches’ new reality after that bombshell ending, and I’m guessing everyone else who’s been streaming it these last few days would as well. Even so, it’s difficult to say what will happen with Marvel Zombies, despite its current chart-topping success.