Well, who hasn’t heard rumors of Jacob Batalon playing the hobgoblin in the future of Spider-Man? Why this connection people ask? That’s because of the character’s name and his origin in the comics.
In the comics, Ned Leeds has taken on the role of the supervillain Hobgoblin, although he was brainwashed into it. While it’s unknown whether Marvel Studios will ever go down the same path, the stage was set for Peter Parker’s best pal to join the evil side.
Also Read: Spider-Man: No Way Home Hints At Ned Leeds Becoming The Hobgoblin
Jacob Batalon apologizes for spreading false rumors
The 25-year-old actor was featured on Monday’s episode of The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, where he addressed rumors that his Spider-Man character, Ned Leeds, may turn into a villain in the films.
Jacob Batalon has previously appeared in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), and Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) as Ned, Peter Parker’s (Tom Holland) schoolmate, best friend, and his “guy in the chair”. The Spider-Man actor went on to address a blunder he made back in 2016 where he sparked the hobgoblin rumors.
“Uh-huh. Interesting. You know, I’d just like to say, I’m really sorry, everyone. I did this really stupid thing back in 2016 and mentioned it in an interview. And then I stupidly just continued with the story as if like I knew what was going to happen. And now everyone is talking about it. And I just—I’m sorry for all the misinformation…”
Before commenting on his prior claims about becoming a villain, he told how his fiancée was compelled to keep the Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield secret from Spider-Man: No Way Home. Fans claim it was all Kevin Feige’s plan to mislead the audience from this Spider-verse tale.
Interestingly, both Tom Holland and Batalon made jokes about it before the film’s release, making this narrative seem very feasible in the near future. When Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker is talking about how his best buddy (Harry Osborn) turned on him in Spider-Man: No Way Home, the film makes fun of the premise. It’s a possibility that truly bothers Ned, so he goes over to his Peter Parker and promises him he’ll never change.
Hobgoblin and Jacob Batalon’s future in the MCU
The name Ned Leeds is the sole link between both protagonists in the comics. While Leeds was technically the Hobgoblin at one point but was never truly the real one—he had been brainwashed into believing he had always been the Hobgoblin, but in reality, Ned Leeds was only a former Daily Bugle reporter. Roderick Kingsley, who has yet to appear in the MCU, is the true Hobgoblin in the comics.
If Hobgoblin is involved in the future of the MCU then now is the right time to introduce it, considering that everyone forgot who Peter Parker is; all thanks to Doctor Strange’s spell post No Way Home. It’s unclear whether Jacob Batalon will play a role in Spider-Man 4, or when the film will be released in the first place. He’ll hopefully be back sooner rather than later.
Source: TheDirect
