Marvel Zombies Writer Compares Finale to This Seminal Sci-Fi Masterpiece With a 93% RT Score

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Zombie Captain America with red eyes from Marvel Zombies animated series

John Dodge is an MTV Writer for CBR who specializes in movies, television, comics, and pop culture. He has a deep knowledge of franchises like Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Marvel, and DC Comics, along with a passion for indie and horror titles. An expert on obscure productions from the ’80s and ’90s, John is known for his encyclopedic recall of cult classics like Beetleborgs.

The head of Disney+'s Marvel Zombies draws a comparison between the hit animated series and a science fiction staple that fans won't expect.

Speaking to Marvel, Marvel Zombies writer-director Bryan Andrews said of the series' open-ended twist finale, "It's ballsy, right?" Andrews continued, "It's like Empire Strikes Back. It's these movies that end with a certain big question, where it makes you go: 'What! You can't end it there. What happens next?' Leaving them with a 'what happens next?' is great. Then, they can write Marvel and demand more!"

Spun out of the events of the What If...? Season 1 episode "What If... Zombies?!" from 2021, Marvel Zombies picks up in the wake of a devastating zombie infestation that ravaged the entire Marvel Universe, or at least one version of it. Marvel Zombies features a star-studded ensemble cast of Marvel Cinematic Universe stars who returned to voice their respective iconic characters, with Iman Vellani's Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel, leading the charge. The series also marked the return of MCU stars Dominique Thorne, Hailee Steinfeld, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Randall Park, Awkwafina, Paul Rudd, Wyat Russell, Simu Liu, and Tessa Thompson, as well as Elizabeth Olsen in a reprisal of her role as Wanda Maximoff, better known as the Queen of the Dead in the world of Marvel Zombies.

Marvel Zombies made its way onto Disney+ on Sept. 24 to the delight of fans everywhere, and to some particularly divisive reviews. While critics and audiences alike largely hailed the series' action, pacing, and performances, its fake-out ending proved to be a major point of contention. As of the time of writing, Marvel Zombies holds a 64% "Fresh" rating via review aggregator Rotten Tomaotes, as averaged across 33 verified critical reviews. For comparison, the audience-generated "Popcornmeter" score for Marvel Zombies currently stands at a 72% approval rating.

What the Future Could Hold for the MCU's Marvel Zombies

Zombie Thanos With the Infinity Guantlet

Speaking to CBR, Marvel Zombies executive producer Brad Winderbaum opened up about the various directions that the series could go in the future, pointing specifically to the original comics as a source of inspiration. "Bryan and I geek out all of the time on the Marvel universe. There's so much lore baked into this thing, and so many stories to tell." Winderbaum also pointed towards fan-reactions and overal viewership as the deciding factor in whether Marvel Zombies returns, adding, "And if people subscribe to Disney Plus and watch this show, we may have an opportunity to tell those stories."

Marvel Zombies is currently available for streaming on Disney+.