Spider-Man: Brand New Day's Jacob Batalon makes his feelings clear on playing Hobgoblin

Ned Leeds was almost the bad guy in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Star Jacob Batalon shared his honest take on suiting up as Hobgoblin in the MCU.

Jacob Batalon on playing Hobgoblin after Spider-Man: Brand New Day

Jacob Batalon discussed the possibility of playing Hobgoblin in a future MCU project during a recent Gold House interview.

The actor plays Ned Leeds in the Spider-Man franchise and stars in the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Additionally, Batalon said he is “open to the idea for sure” and compared himself to other MCU actors. He described them as “pretty much waiting for a phone call that might or might not happen.” Brand New Day premieres on July 31.

However, Batalon revealed he once expected the villain turn to arrive sooner. He said he “genuinely thought I was going to be the bad guy in the third movie.” Meanwhile, the interviewer raised the idea of more Asian representation in MCU villain roles. Batalon agreed, saying fans are “at the point now where we want to see more Asian villains, like more complex.”

He further pointed to Ned’s education as a logical foundation for such a shift. “He went to MIT. He’s got the knowledge to do it,” Batalon said.

A Hobgoblin turn could radically change Ned Leeds' Spider-Man story

In Marvel Comics, Ned Leeds carries a deep connection to the Hobgoblin identity. Roderick Kingsley, the original Hobgoblin, brainwashed Leeds into acting as a decoy. Leeds operated under Kingsley’s control for years before his assassination. Writers later retroactively established Kingsley as the true Hobgoblin in a 1997 miniseries. That story cleared Leeds’ name and reframed him as a manipulation victim.

The MCU’s Ned Leeds already showed magical abilities in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Those scenes laid early groundwork for a possible dark turn. In the comics, Leeds also gained chaos magic abilities after training under Baron Mordo. Batalon’s openness to the role signals that a Hobgoblin arc remains a live possibility. His comments suggest both the actor and fans see Ned’s story as far from finished.