Jacob Batalon"s Idea For Ned"s MCU Future Storyline Is The Perfect Follow-Up To Spider-Man: No Way Home

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Summary

Jacob Batalon suggests Ned learning magic as a potential storyline post-Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Ned may not remember Peter Parker, but it's possible he remembers using magic and could continue practicing, potentially as Wong's apprentice.
The idea of Ned embracing a magical role adds diversity to the MCU and could pave the way for his return.

Jacob Batalon, who plays Ned Leeds in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, pitches his ideal storyline after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home. It has been about two and a half years since the Spider-Man: No Way Home cast gave Marvel Studios one of the biggest successes in the MCU's post-Endgame era, as the Phase 4 film became a massive win for The Multiverse Saga. However, Peter Parker, along with his best friends, have yet to appear in the MCU since 2021, even though their arcs are far from done.
In an exclusive interview with Screen Rant, while promoting his new film Tarot, Batalon was asked what he would like to see for Ned after his ending in Spider-Man: No Way Home. While it remains to be seen if he will be in the MCU's Spider-Man 4, Batalon shared the following idea for where Marvel Studios should go with Ned:

Yes, I would love to. I would definitely love to be a part of something special again, for sure. I think a specific avenue that I haven't really like spoken on in a while [is that] me and Benny Wong wanted to do a whole "Wong teaches Ned to be a magic user" thing. But I think other than that, whatever happens happens. I'm sure everyone you've spoken to from superhero movies knows you just randomly get a call one day, you know what I mean? You don't really plan for it.

Related Spider-Man: No Way Home Totally Changes 5 MCU Villain Stories Spider-Man: No Way Home brought five past villains to the MCU, and it not only changed their stories in their universes but also in the MCU.
How Jacob Batalon's Story Idea For Ned Could Fit Into The MCU Ned Could Return In Spider-Man 4 Or Another MCU Project Close One of the bigger surprises in Spider-Man: No Way Home was Ned's ability to access magic, as he was one of the reasons Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield's Spider-Men were able to finally come together. Now that Ned, along with M.J., have had their memories of who Peter is wiped, their respective fates in the MCU could go in various directions. For Ned, even if he doesn't remember Peter (for now), Batalon's idea of having him work with Wong would be a natural and organic story progression for him after Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Assuming Ned is part of the Spider-Man 4 story, this would be a compelling way to bring him and Peter back together. From a dramatic standpoint, while Peter is likely trying to let Ned and M.J. live their lives without him, it would be compelling to see if Spider-Man is somehow forced to work with Wong either in his next film or a different MCU project. In that case, it would be interesting to see him reacting to Ned being the Sorcerer Supreme's apprentice. That would also be a way for the MCU to lay the groundwork for Ned to eventually get his memories back.
Seeing Ned take on a more magical role in the MCU would allow the franchise to do something different from his comic book counterpart, as he is better known in the Marvel world as the Hob Goblin. Given how few magic-based characters there are in the MCU at the moment, it wouldn't hurt to add another one, especially given that Ned has already demonstrated his potential. No matter what, hopefully it won't be long until Ned is back in the MCU after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Tarot opens in theaters on May 3.

Spider-Man Homecoming 4 Not Yet Rated SuperheroActionAdventure Spider-Man: Homecoming 4 is the first sequel to the MCU's Spider-Man trilogy starring Tom Holland as the titular wall-crawler. After wiping his identity for the public's memory in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Peter Parker continues his crime-fighting adventures without the aid of Iron Man technology or the support of his former allies.
Studio(s) Columbia Pictures , Marvel Studios , Pascal Pictures Distributor(s) Sony Cast Tom Holland , Zendaya , Jacob Batalon Franchise(s) Marvel Cinematic Universe , Spider-Man prequel(s) Spider-Man: Homecoming , Spider-Man: Far From Home , Spider-Man: No Way Home Upcoming Marvel Movies
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