Marvel Studios is set to take one of Wakanda's most celebrated champions and give them a dark twist. According to recent reports and footage, the upcoming Marvel Zombies animated series on Disney+ will reimagine this Black Panther hero as a villain within its alternate-universe storyline. The show is expected to lean into the franchise's darker side, offering a fresh, undead spin on familiar Marvel characters.
Marvel Studios is giving a sinister twist to one of Wakanda's greatest defenders, turning Okoye into a fearsome villain in the upcoming Marvel Zombies animated series on Disney+. Known in the MCU as the fierce general of the Dora Milaje and a key ally to T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman), Okoye (Danai Gurira) played pivotal roles in Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame, even fighting alongside Earth's Mightiest Heroes against Thanos.
In this new alternate-universe storyline, Okoye is among the undead following her death at the hands of Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch in What If...? Episode 5.
The former Dora Milaje is at the center of the other zombified beings, like Abomination and Ghost, appearing to be commanding them in some way.
This seems to be the case according to Nexus Point News, as she'll lead an undead army under the orders of Wanda Maximoff, now referred to as the "Dead Queen."
This zombified version of Okoye was previously glimpsed in the past Marvel Studios Look Ahead trailer, teasing her chilling transformation from heroic protector to a secondary villain.
After last appearing in live action as the villain of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the undead version of Scarlet Witch is expected to be front and center as the lead adversary.
Beyond Okoye's surprising turn as a villain, Marvel Zombies is packing its September 24 Disney+ debut with a roster of shocking undead transformations and unexpected team-ups.
New merchandise revealed the zombified returns of fan favorites like Clint Barton's Hawkeye (one of the first heroes to be infected back in What If…?), now brought to life in Funko Pop! form with his trademark bow in tow.
Joining him is a decaying Steve Rogers, whose "Zombie Captain America" look trades his usual noble appearance for rotting flesh and eerie red eyes, teasing what's next for the character at Marvel Animation.
These characters will fight under the shadow of Wanda's reign, while survivors like Yelena Belova, Spider-Man, and Shang-Chi form a living resistance against the apocalypse. With its four-episode, R-rated format and a mix of returning MCU voices, including Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop and Iman Vellani’s Ms. Marvel, the series promises a darker, bloodier take on Marvel's heroes than fans have ever seen before.
What's the Plot of Marvel Zombies?
Set in the alternate timeline first explored in What If…?'s Season 1 "What If… Zombies?!" episode, Marvel Zombies picks up in a universe ravaged by a quantum virus that has transformed many of the Avengers and their deadliest villains into flesh-craving undead.
The latest Marvel Animation series, following Eyes of Wakanda, will star a group of survivors, including Yelena, Shang-Chi, Spider-Man, Ms. Marvel, Riri Williams, and Kate Bishop, as they navigate this dangerous wasteland while fending off zombified versions. Scarlet Witch is expected to be their greatest test.
Along the way, fans can expect appearances from characters such as Thor, Valkyrie, Namor, John Walker, Baron Zemo, Melina Vostokoff, Black Panther, and maybe even Scott Lang's floating head. However, whether these figures will fight for survival or succumb to the infection remains to be seen.
