'It Seems a Little Open-Ended': Spider-Man: Brand New Day's Jacob Batalon Discusses The Movie's Big Moment Between Peter and Ned

Spider-Man: Brand New Day actor Jacob Batalon has shared his thoughts on the pivotal final scene between Peter and Ned in the movie. While avoiding providing a definitive answer, Batalon noted that Ned remembering their secret handshake with Peter implies a "slight glint or little glimmer" of recognition. The Spider-Man: No Way Home sequel takes place five years after the events of the previous film, where Ned, MJ, and the rest of the world have forgotten who Peter Parker's real identity was.

Despite this, there are still hints suggesting that Ned and MJ do have some subconscious memory of Peter. For instance, MJ draws Spider-Man in his Homecoming suit when hanging out with Ned and MJ in their apartment, and she returns to the rooftop she visited with Peter, holding the necklace he gave her. Another clue is the Hulk's possession by Jean Grey, which unlocked something that had been kept behind a barrier, potentially explaining why Hulk lets Spider-Man go and falls from the building himself.

Batalon also hinted at the handshake with Ned being left "a little open-ended," leaving room for interpretation as to whether Ned just remembers the handshake or more of Peter's identity. The actor admitted he didn't know the specifics about the post-credits scene featuring the Spidey Tracker app that Ned built, stating, "You think me, of all people, knows top-brass-level information?"

The success of Spider-Man: Brand New Day at the box office suggests that more Spider-Man adventures are on the horizon, possibly leading to the MCU introducing Miles Morales in the future.