Ned Leeds actor Jacob Batalon opens up on whether or not it was ever true that his Marvel Cinematic Universe character would become Hobgoblin in the Spider-Man movies. One of the crucial players who were part of Spider-Man’s MCU timeline was Ned Leeds, Peter Parker’s best friend and a close ally to the web-slinger. However, like everyone else in the MCU, Ned was affected by Doctor Strange’s spell in the Spider-Man: No Way Home ending, as he forgot who Peter was, allowing Spider-Man’s identity to remain a secret again.
In a new interview with CBR, Batalon, who was last seen as part of the Spider-Man: No Way Home cast, spoke more about the future of his MCU character, stating:
I’m open to anything, and I think we all are open to anything. Unless you’re like a superhero, like big time, one of the main ones they’re trying to make movies about, you don’t really know what’s going to happen. In the industry, people don’t want to hope to wish. So, I would hopefully [return]. I’m down for anything. I would love to be a part of something special again. But also at the same time, I understand it’s a business, and people may not want that thing anymore, so I’m just being more realistic than anything else.
The Tarot star also chimed in on the rumors about his version of Ned becoming the Marvel Comics villain Hobgoblin, sharing the following: Honestly, I’m not sure. Again, we may have talked about things, for sure, but I don’t know if it would’ve really led to anything serious about being a villain, or anything like that.
How Spider-Man 4 Could Tackle Hobgoblin Without Ruining Ned Leeds
While there haven’t been any updates on Spider-Man 4 regarding whether or not Batalon will be back as Ned, there is a neat way for the MCU to tackle the Hobgoblin side of his character, but with a twist. As Peter has now encountered the multiverse as well as variants, a way for the MCU to explore Ned as Hobgoblin would be to have Batalon play his own doppelganger from another universe. With the vast variety of alternative realities out in the MCU multiverse, there are bound to be worlds where Ned did go down a dark path similar to his comic book counterpart.
It’s fair to assume that Spider-Man 4 could likely be released during The Multiverse Saga, which would make a Hobgoblin storyline more fitting than ever. Approaching the story in this way would allow the MCU to not have to compromise the main version of Ned, as turning him into an antagonist after Spider-Man: No Way Home would limit his future storylines. It would also be way more fascinating to see Spider-Man 4 have Peter face a version of his best friend who turned evil in another reality, potentially even because he didn’t have the web-slinger as his best friend in this life.
Whether or not the multiverse will play any factor in Spider-Man 4 remains to be seen, as there have been conflicting rumors about where Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios want to take the next installment for Holland. For now, the bigger question is when Spider-Man 4 will actually get off the ground for principal photography. Until then, the MCU audience will have to remain patient while waiting to see the future of Holland’s Spider-Man and his supporting cast.
