Jacob Batalon Has Some Intriguing Remarks On If No Way Home Was His Last Spider-Man Movie
Jacob Batalon unquestionably knocked it out of the park as Ned Leeds, best friend to Peter Parker (Tom Holland), over the course of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's take on the "Spider-Man" mythos. Parker carries a burden that very few people know — well, at least during his first few outings; he is secretly a web-slinging hero who helps keep New York City safe. Ned eventually finds out Peter's secret and he and Michelle Jones-Watson (Zendaya) become Peter's support system. At the conclusion of "Spider-Man: No Way Home," Peter has made a deal with Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to erase him from the memories of his friends. Peter believes that that's the only proper way to restore the damage done to the multiverse while making everyone happy and keeping his friends safe and alive.
This removes Ned and MJ from Peter's life and from their collective memories. While Peter has the opportunity to approach them both and reintroduce himself, he decides to leave them alone and instead resumes working as Spider-Man, in spite of all of the dangers and horrors he faces on a daily basis. That leaves Zendaya and Batalon in an interesting place regarding their MCU futures — Peter could decide never to approach them, leaving the characters forever stranded on the sideline of his adventures. It would be a shame not to use Ned in future films within the franchise, especially after he unexpectedly discovered skills in sorcery during "Spider-Man: No Way Home." A recent interview with Batalon has shed some surprising light on what might be next for Ned.
Batalon says that Ned's MCU future is up in the air
Per an October 2022 interview with Collider ahead of the release of his TV series "Reginald the Vampire," Batalon explained that he has absolutely no current knowledge about Ned's position within the MCU. "I feel like actors are the last people to know. I think that people assume that actors are always hiding secrets. I promise you, we don't know anything." Would he return to play Ned in another movie in the franchise? He seems amenable to the subject. "If it's the right place, at the right time, with the right group of people that we've been with, I would say, why not? But other than that, whatever happens, happens," he explained.
Batalon went on to describe the atmosphere on the set of "Spider-Man: No Way Home." "We all very much were crying, our last day of work. Even at the premiere, we were all crying. It was such a beautiful experience to be a part of, I think for all of us." Explaining that he, Holland, and Zendaya all started with the franchise when they were teenagers and concluded their time within it as adults, he said that filming the currently-final film in the franchise proved a bit of a full-circle moment to all of the actors involved. And he seems to think that's a fitting button and conclusion for the Holland era of "Spider-Man." "It really puts an exclamation on the continuance of Spider-Man, but maybe not with us, and I think that's a great thing. We may not necessarily be a part of it, in the end, but it was a beautiful ride anyway." What actor could ask for more?