Marvel Studios has announced a new “spy thriller” titled Zodiac, set to launch after Avengers: Secret Wars concludes the Multiverse Saga, with a release window targeting 2028. Beyond the show’s logo and this timeframe, no official details have been provided about the project from Marvel Television.
The limited information has prompted fans to speculate about what the series will involve—whether it centers on a character, an organization, or something else entirely. Some have even wondered if it might relate to the Zodiac Killer, though that seems unlikely given the studio’s track record.
Adding fuel to speculation is Clark Gregg, who plays Agent Phil Coulson in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.. He has shared the Zodiac announcement on social media, leading some to wonder whether he’s excited about the new show or simply noting a potential connection to his former series.
To understand what Marvel might be planning, it helps to examine the source material and existing MCU projects. Here’s what we know about Zodiac in comics and how it could tie into the broader universe.
The Zodiac Cartel in Comics
The most prominent version of Zodiac in Marvel comics is the Zodiac Cartel—a group of 12 supervillains who style themselves after Western astrology signs. Members include characters named Aries, Taurus, Gemini, and others following the zodiac pattern.
The organization operated as a subversive criminal group seeking world domination under leadership from Cornelius van Lunt, also known as Taurus. They would become recurring enemies of the Avengers, though they never reached the prominence of villains like Loki, Ultron, or Thanos.
The Cartel’s schemes frequently involved the Zodiac Key, a powerful cosmic capable of generating psionic energy and empowering mechanical devices.
Ties to SHIELD and Nick Fury
One notable aspect of the Zodiac Cartel is that Scorpio’s alter ego is Jake Fury—the brother of SHIELD director Nick Fury. In the original stories, Jake was a villain who conflicted with SHIELD and the Avengers.
Later Secret Warriors comics revealed a twist: the evil Jake was actually a Life Model Decoy (a robot mimicking a specific person), while the real Jake had been secretly helping his brother all along. This storyline also introduced the Great Wheel, a version of the Zodiac group founded by Leonardo da Vinci—possibly what’s referenced in the “O” of the show’s logo.
Several other groups adopted the Zodiac name after the first Cartel, including one made entirely of Life Model Decoys, though none had significant impact. The concept has struggled to gain traction compared to more popular villain organizations like Hydra, Advanced Idea Mechanics, and the Hand.
Could This Mean an Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Revival?
Given that Zodiac isn’t a well-known aspect of the Marvel universe, it’s surprising to see Marvel Studios greenlight a show named after them. It seems more likely the studio will reinvent the concept rather than adapt the Zodiac Cartel directly—there’s little chance we’ll see van Lunt in a bull costume.
With Hydra appearing defunct in the MCU and Marvel describing Zodiac as a spy thriller, the show could establish a new evil espionage group operating in the shadows as part of the next saga.
This theory gains support from the fact that the “A” in the Zodiac logo resembles the eagle emblem used for SHIELD. It also aligns with Clark Gregg sharing the announcement on social media, raising questions about whether Agent Coulson will return—alongside characters like Chloe Bennet’s Quake or Ming-Na Wen’s Melinda May.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. remains one of the holdouts from the pre-Disney+ era of Marvel television that hasn’t been fully reintegrated into the shared universe. While Marvel Television once insisted “it’s all connected,” Coulson’s team hasn’t returned in new MCU projects the way Daredevil and friends have.
If Zodiac has ties to SHIELD as it does in comics, this could be the perfect vehicle for those characters to return. Perhaps Coulson’s team must reunite to face a new threat in whatever form the MCU’s Zodiac organization takes.
Samuel L. Jackson, who recently confirmed he’ll return as Nick Fury for Avengers: Secret Wars, could appear in Zodiac if the show pursues the Jake Fury storyline.
The Zodiac Bioweapon from Agent Carter
Beyond comics, Zodiac already exists in one form within the MCU. Marvel produced a series of short films called Marvel One-Shots during the universe’s early days, including Agent Carter in 2013—a precursor to the television show starring Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter.
The short takes place after Steve Rogers entered the ice at the end of Captain America: The First Avenger. In it, Peggy retrieves a blue vial from criminals containing a bioweapon codenamed Zodiac. While the short ends with the weapon safely recovered, it hasn’t been referenced in later MCU projects.
Whether this bioweapon could be what antagonists seek in the upcoming show remains unknown. It wouldn’t be the first time Marvel has revived dangling plot threads years later—though fans hope it works out better than the Leader’s appearance in Captain America: Brave New World.
Fans can share their thoughts on what Marvel’s Zodiac might involve and whether they’d like to see an Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. revival.
Carlos Morales writes novels, articles, and Mass Effect essays. You can follow his fixations on Twitter.
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