Marvel Studios’ upcoming animated mini-series ‘Marvel Zombies’ is one of the most intriguing projects in the MCU’s Phase 6 pipeline. Inspired by the wildly popular ‘What If…?’ episode “What If…Zombies?!”, the series aims to put a fresh spin on Marvel’s heroes, villains, and mythology in a world overrun by the undead.
However, as exciting as the premise sounds, what’s equally fascinating is how behind-the-scenes challenges, particularly the delays around the ‘Blade’ reboot and the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman, forced the show’s creators to sometimes make unexpected choices.
‘Marvel Zombies’ Ended Up Making Blade Even Cooler
When the ‘Marvel Zombies’ creative team first started work on the show, they assumed Mahershala Ali’s ‘Blade’ movie would already be out, or at least close to release, by the time their series dropped. According to Brad Winderbaum, head of streaming, television, and animation at Marvel Studios, the team had initially mapped out storylines under the belief that the live-action ‘Blade’ would pave the way.
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That, of course, never happened. The long-troubled Blade reboot, first announced in 2019, has faced script rewrites, director changes, and repeated delays. Despite Ali’s undeniable star power, the project stalled so heavily that ‘Marvel Zombies’ risked featuring its own version of Blade before the live-action film had even started production.
“We never, in a million years, thought that the Zombies show would precede a live-action Blade,” Winderbaum admitted. “We developed this show believing there would be a Blade movie out well before Zombies. So the fact that this is the first Blade in the MCU on screen is really just kind of a surprising privilege.” However, instead of leaning on the iconic vampire hunter’s traditional portrayal, the team made a radical choice: they reinvented Blade as The Fists of Khonshu.
They merged him with the mythos of Moon Knight. This hybrid character, sometimes referred to as “Blade Knight” by fans, offered Marvel the freedom to explore fresh territory without stepping on the toes of whatever Ali’s version will eventually become in live-action. By doing so, ‘Marvel Zombies’ avoided clashing with the uncertain live-action future. They also present a Blade unlike anything we’ve seen before.
Why Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa Wasn’t Recast In ‘Marvel Zombies’
If Blade’s pivot was intriguing, the handling of T’Challa in ‘Marvel Zombies’ was rooted in something far deeper. Chadwick Boseman’s sudden passing in 2020 left Marvel and its fans devastated. The actor had brought regal dignity and power to T’Challa, transforming Black Panther into a cultural icon and global symbol of representation. His absence created both an emotional void and a creative challenge for any project that wished to feature the character.
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Showrunner Bryan Andrews confirmed in a conversation with SR that ‘Marvel Zombies’ chose not to recast T’Challa. Instead, the character appears in a poignant, non-speaking moment, narrated by Peter Parker. “We didn’t have Chadwick. If we had Chadwick, it would’ve been completely different choices,” Andrews explained. “If we had Chadwick, he would’ve had his own Star-Lord T’Challa spinoff show long before we did the zombie thing. But being able to revisit his character was another way to be with him in some strange way.”
Winderbaum added that the team even consulted Ryan Coogler, director of ‘Black Panther’ and ‘Wakanda Forever’. An early animatic of the scene was shown to Coogler, who provided notes that helped shape T’Challa’s role into something heartfelt and additive. This wasn’t just an animated cameo; it was a carefully considered tribute that balanced storytelling needs with emotional authenticity. The decision not to recast underscores Marvel’s reverence for Boseman’s impact.
