Red Guardian
The Soviet super soldier fights alongside his family in a world overrun by zombies.
Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian is a Soviet super soldier counterpart to Captain America and a father figure to Yelena Belova. He appears in the adult animated series *Marvel Zombies*, which was released on Disney+ on September 24, 2025, and consists of four episodes. Voiced by David Harbour, Red Guardian is part of an ensemble cast that includes Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova and David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian. The series is set in the alternate timeline introduced in the *What If...?* episode "What If... Zombies?!" (2021), where a virus has turned most of the world's population into zombies.
- Role
- Vanguard
- Affiliation
- Former KGB / Independent Operative
- Origin
- Soviet Super-Soldier Program
- Status
- Active
- Weaponry
- Energy Shield and Fist
Lore & Background
In *Marvel Zombies*, Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian is a seasoned spy and scientist trained in the Red Room as a Black Widow who is a mother figure to Yelena Belova. He is a father figure to Belova and the Soviet super soldier counterpart to Captain America. The series follows a group of survivors as they discover the key to bringing an end to the zombie plague, which leads them to risk their lives traveling across a dystopian landscape and fighting superpowered zombies to save the world. Red Guardian's role within this group is not detailed in the source, but his presence as a father figure to Yelena Belova suggests a protective dynamic within the survivor team.
In Their Own Story
The series picks up five years after the ending of the *What If...?* episode "What If... Zombies?!" (2021), which saw a zombified Thanos appear with a nearly complete Infinity Gauntlet. Red Guardian, along with other survivors including Yelena Belova, Kate Bishop, and Kamala Khan, must navigate a world where a virus has turned most of the population, including the Avengers, into zombies. The source does not provide specific plot details about Red Guardian's individual actions, but it confirms he is part of the ensemble cast fighting superpowered zombies to save the world.
Reader's Guide
As a character in *Marvel Zombies*, Red Guardian is part of an ensemble cast that includes Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan / Ms. Marvel, Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams / Ironheart, Hailee Steinfeld as Kate Bishop, Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, and David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian. The series is rated TV-MA, Marvel Studios Animation's first series to receive that rating, allowing for the "gore and splatter you want from a zombie show." The series consists of four episodes and was released on Disney+ on September 24, 2025. A second season is in production. The source does not provide specific gameplay or ability details for Red Guardian in *Marvel Rivals*.
Did You Know?
- David Harbour voices Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian in *Marvel Zombies*.
- Red Guardian is described as a father figure to Yelena Belova in the series.
- The series is set in the alternate timeline introduced in the *What If...?* episode "What If... Zombies?!" (2021).
- *Marvel Zombies* is Marvel Studios Animation's first series to be rated TV-MA.
- The series was released on Disney+ on September 24, 2025, and consists of four episodes.