What could Jacob Batalon’s Hobgoblin look like in the MCU?

Spider-Man actor Jacob Batalon wants his character to become the Hobgoblin, but what would that even look like?

Amidst the Sony and Disney arrangement that allowed one more standalone Spider-Man film and another appearance for the character within the MCU, a new villain will be needed for the upcoming third installment, and the Hobgoblin is still a viable candidate. With this, Jacob Batalon, who plays the best friend of Peter Parker (Tom Holland), Ned Leeds, is up for the challenge.

In an interview with Screen Rant, Batalon went on to explain his hopes of taking on the role of the Hobgoblin. In the comics, Ned Leeds was the third person to take on the mantle of the villain after the original, Roderick Kingsley, and his accomplice Arnold “Lefty” Donovan. Overall, five individuals have assumed the mantle of the Hobgoblin. When asked about Ned Leeds becoming his demonic, yellow-faced alter-ego, Batalon replied:

"“That just further validates my theory of Ned becoming Hobgoblin, but hey… But it’d be so great [if] they’re not going to want me to die. [I hope] they’re going to want me to stay on and be part of the Sinister Six. That’s just my theory.”"

Hobgoblin, as opposed to the Green Goblin, has yet to make a live-action appearance on the big screen. Whereas his greener counterpart has been adapted many times. The animated feature, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was that version’s most recent depiction. In Sam Raimi’s trilogy, Willem Dafoe played the Green Goblin and James Franco played the New Goblin (the closest we’ve gotten to Hobgoblin). Hobgoblin was originally created by writer/novelist Roger Stern and penciler John Romita Jr. and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man No. 238 in 1983.

Smoke screen, mirror unseen. Who is thy enemy?

In this scenario, the motivation for Leeds to be against Parker and to assume the identity of the Hobgoblin would be more in line with his mainstream comic book counterpart, in that he is used by a schemer, like Roderick Kingsley, to commit a crime. Perhaps Kingsley is not a corporate billionaire but is, instead, a middle-class con man and salesman with ties to shady dealers and also has a penchant for moving items and valuables across the dark web and the black market.

Kingsley could use Leeds to do his bidding. The Hobgoblin could just be a criminal persona used as a bid to protect one’s identity, as they combat the authorities, vigilantes and the larger superhero community and make their corrupt deals in the criminal underbelly. Kingsley, in this case, would be the fourth incarnation of the Hobgoblin – the true fully-fledged Hobgoblin – after Arnold “Lefty” Donovan, Leeds (the second) and Jason Macendale, an ex-CIA agent who had suspected Oscorp Industries of unsanctioned experiments on human trials but was defamed by the owner of the company.

Using the company’s interest in experimental technology and biochemical research into enhanced individuals (i.e. superhuman), Kingsley puts the advanced tech to good use as the Hobgoblin and stockpiles Oscorp’s arms, records and valuables for sales to the highest bidder. One of them is an exceptional serum called “Oz,” which Lefty has been left to conduct tests for research purposes. Kingsley can use his art of persuasion and hypnotism to get Leeds to do his bidding.

Ned’s conflict with Parker will be personal since he knows the hero’s secret identity. In the third film, Leeds most likely will be the main threat, while Spider-Man still has to deal with Kingsley and his co-conspirators using Hobgoblin gear. Leeds could possibly either die from poisoning of the Oz serum or be placed in a mental institute for the criminally insane.

Ned Leeds, tragic ally gone rogue, and the Hobgoblin rises.

The next scenario goes more into the root of the public scrutiny plot where Peter’s identity as Spider-Man was revealed to the public. Leeds will be gravely affected at this point, just like most of Parker’s loved ones, including May Parker, Michelle “MJ” Jones and Liz Toomes. Flash Thompson will be in disbelief, at first, but may come to accept the truth.

Due to his identity being exposed, SHIELD, or what is left of it, may appoint someone like the Falcon to support Parker while he is out on duty and will likely have to endure a trial in court for the murder of Quentin Beck a.k.a. Mysterio, who incriminated Parker in the final moments of Far From Home. A lawyer within the MCU may have to represent him like Jennifer Walters, Janice Lincoln, James Maddrox or someone else (possibly an entirely original character). Since the characters that were featured on Netflix (e.g. Matt Murdock/Daredevil, Foggy Nelson and Jeri Hogarth) are frozen under the streaming giant, they cannot be used before the two-year window.

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While Parker is going through the trial, there is little he can do to protect the city, and those he is close to may be under witness protection, especially MJ. Although, there is nothing New York will be able to do about the increasing crime rate. Leeds could be one of Parker’s only allies who can help, but he has no crime-fighting experience. Because Parker is going through his trial, there are very few people he can even trust, and maybe something even happens in which Spider-Man was not there when Ned needed him the most. Maybe Leeds’ relatives had a tragedy, or maybe his former love interest, Betty Brant has been harmed. Leeds feels pushed away because of this.

Eventually, Leeds will seek help from an accomplice in the form of Conrad Marcus, an employee at Oscorp. Marcus assists Leeds in getting the equipment and gear such as goblin-themed weapons and a glider. Marcus could also be revealed to have infused the genetically modified spider that bit Parker with an untested serum called Oz. Ultimately, he becomes the Hobgoblin after some failed attempts at keeping the crime down.

The sole difference between the former scenario and this alternate scenario at hand is Leeds’ motivation in becoming the Hobgoblin is different, including his transformation. In the latter scenario, it’s Parker’s distrust, overzealous, self-righteous and overbearing behavior that pushes Leeds away when he needed Parker the most. In this version, his mutation will be more stable with the Oz serum, as Marcus is the only person who knows the right molecules, proteins and the precise solution of the chemical compound to improve and make Leeds the first healthy and successful human trial.