Marvel’s New Disney+ Series Breaks Past Expectations with Big Viewership
Marvel’s newest animated series Marvel Zombies has taken Disney+ by storm, pulling in more viewers than Marvel Studios had expected.
The four-episode miniseries launched on September 24, and immediately climbed to the top of the streamer’s most-watched list in the U.S. for three straight days.
A source close to Marvel told reporters that the strong start has surprised even the studio. “Marvel Studios is very pleased with Marvel Zombies’ 5-day opening viewership performance,” the source said, adding that the success has already sparked talks about future stories in the zombie universe.
The series is the first Marvel Studios Animation project with a TV-MA rating. It continues the zombie storyline first teased in What If…? and shows how a group of survivors struggle to survive in a world where a virus has turned heroes and villains into the undead.
The voice cast is packed with familiar Marvel names such as Florence Pugh, Simu Liu, Hailee Steinfeld, Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Olsen, and David Harbour. Behind the scenes, Bryan Andrews directed the show and Zeb Wells served as head writer. The animation team Stellar Creative Lab returned to work on the series after also helping with What If…?
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
Marvel Zombies is part of Phase Six of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and joins other animated projects like X-Men ’97 and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. According to Variety, X-Men ’97 pulled in 4 million viewers in its first five days, making it one of Marvel’s biggest animated launches.
While Disney has not shared official numbers for Marvel Zombies, insiders say its opening days have already marked it as one of the studio’s most successful animated series yet.
I think this shows that Marvel fans are ready for darker and more mature stories, even in animation. The early success proves there’s an appetite for fresh ideas that go beyond the typical superhero format. Do you want to see Marvel lean more into TV-MA content, or should they keep most of their stories family-friendly? Share your thoughts in the comments.