- Primary Subject: Jacob Batalon / Ned Leeds (Spider-Man: Brand New Day)
- Key Update: Jacob Batalon addressed Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s ambiguous ending.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: August 5, 2026
- Quick Answer: Jacob Batalon states Ned’s ending is open to interpretation, calling the final handshake a hopeful glimmer of recognition rather than a definitive answer.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day star Jacob Batalon has set the record straight on the ambiguous ending of the newly released MCU film.
While fans were satisfied by how the movie ended, there were also debates online about the fate of Peter Parker and Ned Leeds' friendship. There are questions about whether the handshake meant that Ned has finally remembered Peter before the spell or if it simply indicates that he recognizes Peter as Spider-Man.
Now, the actor who plays Ned has given his two cents on the debate.
Did Ned Remember Peter Parker at the End of Spider-Man: Brand New Day?
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Jacob Batalon was asked to weigh in on the ambiguous ending of Spider-Man: Brand New Day surrounding his character and Peter Parker.
He acknowledged that it's an open-ended ending of the film, but he did not reveal what the scene actually meant. However, he noted that it is an optimistic restart for the two characters.
"First and foremost, does Ned actually remember him, though? It seems a little open-ended. What if it’s just muscle memory? What if he just remembers that handshake but nothing else about Peter? What if he just repeats Peter because that’s what Peter says his name is in that moment? I don’t know," the actor said.
"I feel like it’s really up to interpretation for everyone. For me, I think it’s a really cool little nod, so hopefully things happen from there."
When asked by the interviewer what Ned's delivery of "Peter?" meant in the very final moment, Batalon responded, "Yeah, there could be a slight glint or little glimmer, if you will."
As for the post-credits scene surrounding Ned's Spidey-Tracker, Batalon did not share any tidbits as he admitted that he's also as clueless as fans are regarding what it means for Spider-Man's future.
"Come on! Who are you talking to here? You think I know that stuff!?" he said with a laugh. "You think me, of all people, knows top-brass-level information? Come on."
What Is Spider-Man: Brand New Day About?
Spider-Man: Brand New Day marks an entirely new chapter for Peter Parker and Spider-Man. Four years have passed since the events of No Way Home, and Peter is now an adult living entirely alone, having voluntarily erased himself from the lives and memories of those he loves.
Crime-fighting in a New York that no longer knows his name, he's devoted himself entirely to protecting his city, a full-time Spider-Man, but as the demands on him intensify, the pressure sparks a surprising physical evolution that threatens his existence, even as a strange new pattern of crimes gives rise to one of the most powerful threats he has ever faced.
The main cast includes Tom Holland, Zendaya, Sadie Sink, Jacob Batalon, Jon Bernthal, Tramell Tillman, Michael Mando, Mark Ruffalo, Marisa Tomei, Florence Pugh, and Liza Colon-Zayas.
The film is now showing in theaters worldwide.
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