Every Zombie Movie Reference In What If…? Episode 5

Warning: This article contains spoilers for What If…? episode 5.

Episode 5 of Marvel’s hit spin-off What If…? features a smorgasbord of zombie movie Easter eggs and references. Just as in the rest of the series, the story offers an alternative vision for some of the MCU’s most iconic characters. However, by combining these familiar faces with tried and tested zombie tropes, the end result is a unique departure for the MCU that works both as a superhero story and a tale of zombie survival.

The show presents an alternate reality to the live-action MCU timeline, depicting a scenario in which almost everyone on the planet, including several of Earth’s mightiest heroes, succumb to a deadly zombie virus. Classic characters, such as Iron-Man, Doctor Strange and even Captain America become infected, leaving a team of survivors including Peter Parker, Bucky Barnes and Ant-Man’s re-animated head to lead the fight for survival. The plot sees those left behind battle against an undead Scarlet Witch, find a cure in the form of the Vision’s Mind Stone and tackle horde after horde of shambling zombies.

Not only does the zombie plot device allow for What If…? to explore genres beyond the traditional superhero mold, but it also provides an opportunity for numerous tributes to classic genre hits. Ranging from popular, decades-old zombie stalwarts to more modern favorites, the episode crammed in plenty of references to other beloved movies. Here are all the zombie movie nods included in What If…? episode 5.

Zombieland

During the opening to the episode, Peter Parker provides the audience with a helpful list of rules for surviving a zombie apocalypse. This meta moment not only calls back to Wes Craven’s slasher flick Scream, but also the Woody Harrelson-led zombie hit Zombieland. A key plot device in Zombieland is Jesse Eisenberg’s chracater’s constant reference to his own rules of survival. Although they often aren’t as practical as Peter Parker’s suggestions, the connection between the two is clear.

Braindead

Peter Jackson’s cult 1992 horror-comedy is one of the goriest movies ever made. It’s perhaps surprising, therefore, to see it referenced in Marvel’s distinctly PG-13 animated series. In the film, protagonist Lionel is forced to try and care for his zombie-fied mother Vera by locking her in the basement of their home. This is reminiscent of Vision’s attempts to keep Wanda Maximoff “alive”, despite her transformation into a zombie.

Train To Busan

One of the most strikingly original zombie movies from recent years, Korean hit Train To Busan ratchets up the adrenaline by placing zombie apocalypse survivors on a speeding bullet train. This setting is clearly referenced in What If…? episode 5, as a protracted battle between a zombie Captain America and Bucky Barnes also takes place on a train. Much like in the original movie, the survivors board a train in an attempt to get to safety, providing another link to the hit feature.

Planet Terror

One of the What If…? episode’s most memorable moments comes from the realization that Vision has been feeding T’Challa’s leg to Wanda Maximoff in order to keep her alive. Despite being extremely haunting, the revelation also calls to mind Robert Rodriguez’s Grindhouse feature Planet Terror. In the 2007 cult hit, Rose McGowan’s character Cherry Darling also has her own leg torn off by zombies, leaving her bed-bound in hospital, much like T’Challa. In the end, the movie diverges somewhat, replacing Cherry’s missing limb with a machine gun. However, irrespective of Planet Terror’s pulpy conclusion, the similarities between Cherry’s and T’Challa’s predicament are striking.

I Am Legend

Although there is no explicit callback between What If…? and I Am Legend, the parallels between both stories are striking. Not only do they feature an alternate New York City haunted by infected beings, but both also hint at their antagonists retaining human emotions. In I Am Legend, it is insinuated that the vampiric zombies retain some semblance of human emotion, expressing rage when loved ones are killed. Similarly, What If…? reveals Wanda Maximoff cradling the lifeless body of Vision, suggesting that, even as a zombie, she retains her feelings for him.

28 Days/Weeks Later

There are several pointed references to both 28 Days Later and its sequel in What If…? episode 5. For starters, the empty city that Bruce banner returns to is extremely reminiscent of Danny Boyle’s iconic zombie feature. Furthermore, the scene in the train station calls to mind the most terrifying sequence of follow-up 28 Weeks Later, in which the main characters navigate a London tube station in near-total darkness.

Shaun Of The Dead

While there is still plenty of debate over whether Edgar Wright’s 2004 tribute/parody of Geroge A. Romero’s genre-defining flick is more comedy than horror movie, there can be no doubt that it has become extremely influential in its own right. During What If…?, the heroes arrive at their destination, only to be confronted by an impassable mob of zombies. Although they end up dealing with the issue in a very different way, the moment is uncannily similar to Shaun’s realization that he and his friends will have to somehow walk through a throng of zombies in order to get to the Winchester pub.

Re-Animator

Classic 1985 comedy-horror sci-fi flick Re-Animator is one of the best-loved zombie movies of all time. It’s no surprise, therefore, that Marvel decided to pay tribute to the film in What If…? Just like the movie, episode 5 features a re-animated head – in this case, Scott Lang. However, whereas Lang provides some welcome light relief during the episode, the iconic severed head in Re-Animator serves as the main antagonist. However, despite their different roles, the correlation between the two is clear.

Dawn Of The Dead

To this day, George A. Romero’s 1978 hit remains the archetypal zombie movie, with an inescapable influence across the genre. As a result, What If…? episode 5 features several nods to the ground-breaking film, most notably during the climax. The moment when Peter Parker, T’Challa and Scott Lang’s head fly off in the Quinjet is highly reminiscent of Dawn Of The Dead’s famous ending, in which two survivors escape in a helicopter. While What If…? lacks the movie’s biting social commentary, this Easter egg is a welcome inclusion and tribute to a classic.

About The Author

Thomas Lethbridge
(133 Articles Published)

After an eclectic career incorporating scuba diving, cheffing and teaching, Tommy eventually found his calling as a writer. With an early focus on food, he now specialises in all aspects of entertainment. Despite being a Lord of the Rings and Alien obsessive, his real passion is for truly terrible movies. He loves anything with a 0% Rotten Tomatoes rating and rarely passes up an opportunity to watch The Room. Tommy is based in London and joined the Screen Rant team in 2021.

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