Brad Winderbaum Reveals ‘Marvel Zombies’ Became a Series to Include Key MCU Character
Marvel Zombies is coming to Disney+ in a few days, but the project didn’t start out as a series.
According to Marvel executive Brad Winderbaum, the original idea was to release it as a feature film. That plan changed once they realized Spider-Man needed to be a part of the story.
Speaking with fans, Winderbaum explained that Marvel holds specific rights to use Spider-Man, which made the production team rethink how they wanted to tell the story.
“We have certain rights to the character … That meant that we had to take our big epic story and break it down into 4 chapters,” he said.
Marvel Zombies is set in the same alternate timeline first introduced in the What If…? episode “What If… Zombies?!” from 2021. In this version of the MCU, a virus turns Earth’s heroes into flesh-eating zombies, forcing a group of survivors to fight their way through the chaos.
Who will save us from our heroes?
— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) September 2, 2025
On September 24, stream #MarvelZombies, a Marvel Animation four-part event, only on @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/JAUr6hdeZb
The show will bring back several MCU stars, including Simu Liu, Elizabeth Olsen, Florence Pugh, Paul Rudd, and David Harbour. It will also feature Awkwafina, Randall Park, Wyatt Russell, Hailee Steinfeld, Tessa Thompson, Dominique Thorne, and Iman Vellani, among others.
Bryan Andrews serves as director and showrunner, while Zeb Wells is head writer. The four-episode series is animated in the same style as What If…?, and will be Marvel Studios Animation’s first project with a TV-MA rating.
Marvel Zombies is set to premiere on Disney+ on September 24, as part of Phase Six of the MCU.
Breaking the story into a limited series instead of a film was the right move. It gives fans more time with the characters, and Spider-Man’s inclusion makes it even more exciting. What do you think? Would you rather see Marvel Zombies as a movie, or do you prefer the series approach? Share your thoughts in the comments.
