Marvel Zombies wraps up on a grim, somewhat confusing note (you can read our breakdown here). The Scarlet Witch utilises the power of Infinity Hulk and Ms. Marvel to reshape the world, leaving Kamala Khan trapped in a world that, while seemingly normal on the surface, is now ruled by the undead.
The ending leaves the door open to telling more stories in this alternate reality, as Ironheart is revealed to be still alive and shown attempting to get through to her best friend...who we assume is supposed to be sitting there in a trance, surrounded by zombies.
Marvel Animation's attempt at one of those ambiguous, clever horror endings doesn't quite stick the landing. Still, Marvel Zombies director Bryan Andrews attempted to explain what's going on in an interview with Screen Rant.
"We always knew it was going to be this. The question was how much to show at the end of the bleakness," he explained. "At first, we had a version that was really subtle, but when we were putting it up on reels and getting editor feedback, they said, 'Hey, maybe go for it a little bit more, so people feel more of a gut punch.'"
"I was totally cool with that, but I was very protective of not making it feel too overdone or too cliffhanger-y. I think we found the perfect balance," Andrews continued. "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."
Brad Winderbaum, the Head of Streaming, Television, and Animation at Marvel Studios, then chimed in to say, "Yes, yes. Subscribe to Disney+ and watch the show; maybe we’ll have the opportunity to tell more stories. Bryan and I talk all the time about this universe, and the lore is very rich. It’s like listening to a D&D campaign sometimes when we’re on the phone."
That prompted Andrew to add, "Some of the images in mind will blow your mind, and they’re not even in the show yet. That’s why we’d need another one. I like that it has lore. It’s a rich world, and we want it to feel like Lord of the Rings in its storied history."
"There’s so much going on in different places, with things you might only get a hint of, but behind it all, there’s this massive history. Building on that is exciting," he teased, though we've repeatedly heard that Marvel Zombies season 2 will only happen if enough people tune in.
What If...? season 3 ended on something of a bum note, and the appetite for more stories in this corner of the Multiverse isn't quite as strong as that for the likes of X-Men '97 and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.
Check out some new posters for Marvel Zombies in the X posts below.
In Marvel Zombies, after the Avengers are overtaken by a zombie plague, a desperate group of survivors discovers the key to bringing an end to the super-powered undead, racing across a dystopian landscape and risking life and limb to save their world.
The series will feature the voices of Elizabeth Olsen (Scarlet Witch), Paul Rudd (Ant-Man), Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova), David Harbour (Red Guardian), Tessa Thompson (Valkyrie), Simu Liu (Shang-Chi), Awkwafina (Katy), Hailee Steinfeld (Kate Bishop), Wyatt Russell (U.S. Agent), Randall Park (Jimmy Woo), Iman Vellani (Ms. Marvel) and Dominique Thorne (Ironheart), among others.
Marvel Zombies was created by Bryan Andrews and Zeb Wells. The series is executive produced by Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Brad Winderbaum, Dana Vasquez-Eberhardt, Bryan Andrews and Zeb Wells, and is produced by Danielle Costa and Carrie Wassenaar.
Run, lurch, but definitely don’t walk to Disney+, where the four-episode Marvel Zombies is now streaming.