Iman Vellani Gives An Update on ‘Marvel Zombies’
Coming off the disaster that was Secret Invasion, Marvel Studios is reportedly rethinking how it makes television series.
While the phrase “superhero fatigue” has increasingly been thrown around as Marvel struggles at both the box office and in streaming, the antidote most often prescribed has been shaking up the Marvel formula.
Both Marvel creatives and fans have publically stated that if Marvel wants to turn around its fortunes, it needs to explore other genres and tones. The formulaic nature of Marvel’s films has grown increasingly evident, with even established franchises like Thor and Ant-Man being derided for their tired tone.
Enter ‘Marvel Zombies’
Interestingly, the Marvel Studios production that has the best chance to shake things up is not a film or live-action streaming series but an animated spin-off.
Marvel Zombies, an animated spinoff of What If…? is set to hit streaming in the foreseeable future. The upcoming show will not only be one of the few Marvel Studios projects to recieve an MA-TV rating, but it will also debut with a first season of only four episodes.
Joining the established What If…? cast will be zombie versions of Captain America, Carol Danvers, Ikaris, and the Abomination. Additionally, newer MCU heroes, including Yelena Belova, Shang-Chi, Kate Bishop, and Kamala Khan, will make their Marvel Studios animation debut.
Although Marvel Zombies was originally announced in November 2021, updates on the series have been few and far between.
Iman Vellani Gives a ‘Zombies’ Update
Leave it to Ms. Marvel star and Marvel superfan Iman Vellani to finally give us an update on the upcoming series.
In a recent interview with The Direct’s Russ Milheim, Vellani revealed that not only has she completed her voice work for the series, but Kamala Khan will be “kind of the center of the show.”
“We’ve done the whole thing. It was amazing. It was so much fun. And I love—there are a lot of cool characters in the ‘Marvel Zombies’ show. And Kamala is kind of the center of the show. They described it to me, it’s like, ‘She’s basically the Frodo of the story.’ And I was like, ‘That’s amazing.’”
According to Marvel’s website, Marvel Zombies will follow “a new generation of heroes”. According to Vellani, this will allow Kamala to interact with “some really cool people.”
“And I get to interact and meet all these people along her journey. And, yes, they’re only the voices, and I don’t get to hear their voices in real time. But just, it’s my fantasies, right? Like, knowing Kamala is going to interact with some really cool people, even if it’s just animation, is so special in a lot of ways.”
When Will ‘Marvel Zombies’ Premiere?
While Marvel Zombies was originally scheduled for a 2024 release, with Season 2 of What If…? not arriving until the final days of 2023, it would not be a surprise if Zombies is delayed until 2025.