Marvel announces Zodiac: New live-action spy thriller for Disney+

Marvel reveals Zodiac at New York Comic Con

Marvel Studios is not done with live-action television after all. During a panel at New York Comic Con on Thursday, Brad Winderbaum, head of streaming, television, and animation at Marvel Studios, officially announced Zodiac, a brand-new live-action series developed under the Marvel Television banner. The show is slated to arrive on Disney+ in 2028, with cameras scheduled to roll in London in spring 2027. Casting for lead roles is currently underway.

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Why a grounded spy thriller matters for Marvel fans

After years of streaming bloat across Phases 4 and 5, Marvel Television has noticeably recalibrated its pipeline. High-profile cancellations like Wonder Man Season 2 proved that Disney is trimming fat, while anticipated follow-ups for Moon Knight, Hawkeye, and Ms. Marvel remain on ice. Instead of churning out endless interconnected series that feel like required homework, Marvel is narrowing its live-action focus to between three and five deliberate, genre-first productions.

Pitching Zodiac explicitly as a spy thriller, shot in London, is exactly the tonal pivot older viewers and comic purists have wanted. Rather than floating skybeams or CGI multiverse battles, espionage brings Marvel back to the grounded energy of Captain America: The Winter Soldier and the espionage world we loved in Agent Carter Season 2. For families who loved Marvel but burnt out on endless multiversal timelines, a standalone spy thriller is far more inviting.

The comic lore and S.H.I.E.L.D. connections

In Marvel Comics history, the Zodiac moniker belongs to several criminal cartels whose operatives adopt Western astrological signs, traditionally led by Taurus as recurring foils for the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. Notably, the logo unveiled at NYCC conceals subtle clues: the letter ‘O’ evokes the circular zodiac wheel, while the ‘A’ distinctly integrates the eagle insignia of S.H.I.E.L.D.

This visual hint strongly points toward Jonathan Hickman’s celebrated Secret Warriors run. In that storyline, the mysterious Great Wheel of Zodiac was assembled by Aries — who turned out to be Leonardo da Vinci — uniting key power players from S.H.I.E.L.D., Hydra, and the Hand. That rogue cabal included Nick Fury, his brother Jake Fury, Dum Dum Dugan, and Baron Strucker. If Marvel Television taps into this rich espionage mythology, Zodiac could explore the murky Cold War history of intelligence agencies before the Avengers assembled.

What is next for Marvel Television

While Zodiac will not hit screens until 2028, Marvel’s revised slate remains busy. Next week sees the premiere of VisionQuest on Disney+, followed next year by the third season of Daredevil: Born Again. Meanwhile, Marvel animation carries significant momentum with Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Season 2 in January, followed by Season 3 of the critically acclaimed X-Men ‘97 and three standalone Marvel Zombies specials.

When will Marvel's Zodiac release on Disney+?

Marvel Studios aims for a 2028 premiere on Disney+. Principal photography is scheduled to kick off in London in spring 2027.

Is Zodiac connected to S.H.I.E.L.D.?

Yes. The title logo incorporates the S.H.I.E.L.D. eagle inside the letter ‘A’, pointing toward covert espionage and agency history rather than cosmic superheroics.

How does Zodiac fit into Marvel's new television strategy?

Marvel Television is scaling back volume to focus on three to five distinct, genre-driven projects. Zodiac is designed as a standalone, grounded spy thriller rather than mandatory homework for Avengers crossover movies.