What Is Marvel's ZODIAC About? Let’s Dig Into the MCU’s New Spy Thriller Series
Marvel has a new spy thriller in the works, and it looks like S.H.I.E.L.D. could be making a comeback in the MCU. The series is called Zodiac, and while Marvel isn't giving away much about the story just yet, the show's official logo contains some interesting clues about what fans can expect.
With Daredevil: Born Again preparing to finish its run with Season 3, Marvel Television is already looking ahead to its next wave of shows.
During Marvel's panel at New York Comic Con 2026, Marvel Television boss Brad Winderbaum officially announced Zodiac, a live-action spy thriller currently targeting a 2028 release. Casting is expected to begin in "the next couple of weeks," with production scheduled to start in London next spring.
Marvel didn't reveal any story details, but Winderbaum gave comic book fans something to investigate when he teased: "If you're a fan of the comics there is a lot hidden in that logo."
The Zodiac logo features the S.H.I.E.L.D. emblem worked into the letter "A," while the "O" contains a circular symbol divided into 12 sections, with three of those sections missing.
Those symbols offer some pretty interesting possibilities, especially if you're familiar with Marvel's comic book history.
The name Zodiac has appeared in the MCU before. In the Agent Carter one-shot, Zodiac was a deadly chemical weapon that Peggy Carter recovered during a mission. Marvel Comics also has an individual villain named Zodiac who has tangled with Moon Knight.
However, neither of those appears to be what Marvel is referencing with this new series. The more likely inspiration comes from the Zodiac cartel, a criminal organization that made its comic book debut in 1969's Avengers #72.
The group consists of 12 supervillains, each representing one of the astrological Zodiac signs. The original members were born under their respective signs and wore costumes or possessed abilities inspired by them.
Some of those costumes were pretty ridiculous. Take Jack Kleveno, the original Cancer, who dressed like a giant crab, complete with massive pincer gloves. Fighting the Avengers was probably easier than trying to use the bathroom in that thing.
Marvel has brought this version of Zodiac into animation before, including the short-lived series Avengers: United They Stand. But the newly revealed logo suggests the upcoming Disney+ series could take inspiration from something much more interesting.
That brings us to writer Jonathan Hickman and his work on Secret Warriors and S.H.I.E.L.D.. Hickman's comics introduced an interesting piece of Marvel mythology involving Leonardo da Vinci, who was secretly a time traveler. To keep his disappearance from history a secret, da Vinci left behind a Life Model Decoy of himself.
He also created a mysterious organization called the Great Wheel, a secret society made up of some of the world's most influential intelligence operatives.
Its members included familiar S.H.I.E.L.D. figures such as Nick Fury, Dum Dum Dugan, and John Garrett, alongside individuals connected to dangerous organizations like Hydra and the Hand.
Each member was assigned an astrological sign, with da Vinci taking the role of Aries. The circular symbol featured in Marvel's Zodiac logo closely resembles the Great Wheel's emblem. More importantly, the three missing sections correspond to Scorpio, Virgo, and Aries.
In the comics, those positions belong to Jake Fury, Nick Fury's younger brother; Il Professore, a brilliant computer programmer; and Leonardo da Vinci himself.
Could those missing pieces suggest that the Great Wheel hasn't been fully formed when the series begins? It's certainly possible, and it could mean we're getting a story about the organization's origins.
There's another character worth keeping an eye on: Cornelius van Lunt. In Marvel Comics, van Lunt was a wealthy businessman who belonged to the Great Wheel and eventually founded the Zodiac criminal cartel. He represented Taurus in both organizations and even had a pretty awesome bull-themed costume.
The connection between the Great Wheel and Zodiac could make for a compelling spy thriller, especially considering how the two organizations reflect the complicated relationship between S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra.
Of course, the biggest question for Marvel television fans is what that S.H.I.E.L.D. logo means. The organization officially ceased to exist in the MCU, with S.W.O.R.D. taking its place.
But this is Marvel we're talking about, and a supposedly defunct intelligence agency operating in secret sounds like exactly the kind of thing Nick Fury would be involved with.
It also raises the possibility of familiar faces returning from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., which ended its seven-season run in 2020.
Fans have been hoping to see some of those characters return to the MCU for years, and Clark Gregg, who played Phil Coulson, gave them another reason to speculate when he shared the Zodiac announcement on his Instagram Stories. That doesn't confirm Coulson's involvement, but it certainly got people thinking.
There's plenty of potential here for Marvel to explore the MCU's secret history, bring back some familiar characters, and introduce a dangerous new network of spies and supervillains.
The Great Wheel connection is particularly interesting because it opens the door to a side of Marvel mythology that hasn't really been explored in live action.
For now, Marvel is keeping the actual story under wraps, but the clues in that logo suggest Zodiac could be much more than another superhero series.
If Marvel pulls from Hickman's comics, we could be in for a pretty cool espionage thriller involving secret societies, competing intelligence agencies, and some seriously cool and strange Marvel history.