Spider-Man: No Way Home star Jacob Batalon does not know whether his character, Ned Leeds, will return for Spider-Man 4. Speaking with Collider, Batalon declares that actors are “the last people to know” but states that, so long as he likes the sound of the Marvel sequel, he would love to come back for more.
Following all manner of multiversal madness in Spider-Man: No Way Home, the final moments see Ned’s best friend Peter Parker wipe the memories of everyone who knew him. Embarking on his next adventure all alone, it would make sense for Ned not to appear. Though no doubt audiences would be saddened by his absence. Especially when the character spent most of his time in the latest Spidey outing demonstrating his affinity for sorcery…
“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. But again, 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. Really, those decisions are up to the big bosses, the people who sign the checks. We’re open to the idea, but we’re not hoping for it.”
Spider-Man 4 is a Top Priority for Sony Pictures
Marvel Studios. Sony Pictures
While Jacob Batalon is unsure whether he will be asked to return for a fourth Spider-Man outing, it has been stated that the comic book movie sequel is a ‘top priority’ for Sony Pictures. “Okay, so Sony may not have the biggest bench in terms of franchises, but it wisely made a deal with Marvel Studios to get its marquee character Spider-Man into the MCU, which helped make the studio’s solo Spidey movies must-sees, even more so,” notable insider Jeff Sneider revealed earlier this year. “And while plans are in motion for another Spidey trilogy starring Tom Holland, I don’t believe he has actually signed a deal yet, so those plans remain unofficial for now. That said, I’m sure that more Spidey adventures with Holland are a top priority for Rothman & Co., which is also counting on him as the anchor of its budding Uncharted franchise as well.”
Sony chairman Tom Rothman recently provided a promising update on the development of a Spider-Man: No Way Home follow-up, saying that they “hope to get working on the next Spider-Man movie” as soon as possible. “Uncharted, Jumanji, Spider-Man. We have our Marvel business, which breaks into three tranches,” Rothman said in May. “There are the Spider-Man movies, and we’re currently at work on two Spider-Verse sequels to our Oscar winning animated movie, with Lord and Miller. We hope to get working on the next Spider-Man movie.”
Considering the monumental success of Spider-Man: No Way Home, which has now grossed over $1.9 billion worldwide, expect to see further developments on Spider-Man 4 sooner rather than later. An extended cut of the Spider-Man: No Way Home, titled The More Fun Stuff Version, was released in theaters in September and features approximately 13 minutes of additional and deleted scenes.
Jacob Batalon can currently be seen in Reginald the Vampire.
