Spider-Man 3 Theory: Ned's Hobgoblin Is Raimi's Green Goblin Successor

Ned Leeds’ Hobgoblin in the MCU’s Spider-Man 3 could have an important connection to Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy. In the first Spider-Man movie, Willem Dafoe delivered a memorable performance as Norman Osborn, who became the Green Goblin and battled Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire). He died at the end of the film, but his legacy continued to hang over the franchise, with his son Harry (James Franco) eventually taking up the mantle in Spider-Man 3.

Thus far, the MCU adaptation of Spider-Man’s story hasn’t included Norman Osborn or any other iteration of the Green Goblin, who is commonly regarded as the wallcrawler’s greatest adversary in Marvel Comics. However, it’s possible that Marvel is getting closer to using some version of the character. The Hobgoblin, who is closely related to the Green Goblin, is heavily rumored to appear in Spider-Man 3, which is scheduled to release in theaters at the end of the year.

Details regarding Spider-Man 3 point to Ned Leeds (Jacob Batalon) becoming Hobgoblin in the movie. In the 1980s comics, Ned wore the Hobgoblin costume. Viral marketing for Spider-Man 3 included artwork of Ned with the Hobgoblin’s orange cap, seemingly as a tease of him transforming into the character. Also, Batalon losing a great deal of weight (presumably for the movie) has created speculation that the character will be taking on a more action-oriented role in the new film. Plus, the existence of different timelines and worlds in the multiverse will certainly make it relatively easy for Marvel to introduce a new version of Ned and make him into the Hobgoblin. In fact, the MCU’s Hobgoblin could turn out to be the successor of the first live-action Green Goblin.

Hobgoblin’s Origin Story In Marvel Comics Explained

Introduced in The Amazing Spider-Man #238, the Hobgoblin served as a major antagonist of Spider-Man during the 1980s. He was eventually revealed to be the supervillain alter ego of Betty Brant’s journalist husband, Ned Leeds. However, a 1997 retcon confirmed that Ned wasn’t the real Hobgoblin. The villain pulling the strings was actually Roderick Kingsley, a former boss of Mary Jane Watson. Apparently, Kingsley was a crime boss who was tipped off about the location of Norman Osborn’s secret hideout, where he stashed all of his Green Goblin gear. At this point in time, Osborn had been dead for years, and there were no villains currently using the Green Goblin name. Kingsley acquired the pumpkin bombs and Goblin Glider and created an offshoot of the Green Goblin identity: the Hobgoblin. Hobgoblin then established his own hideout, only for it to be found by Ned. As a result, Kingsley kidnapped him and brainwashed him into believing the lie that he was the real Hobgoblin. Unfortunately, Ned died years before the truth about what Kingsley did was finally exposed.

Ned Leeds’ Hobgoblin Is Unlikely To Be An Original Villain

True to the Hobgoblin’s origin in Marvel Comics, it would make sense if the MCU’s take on the character keeps the Norman Osborn connection. The Hobgoblin has been consistently portrayed as a successor to the Green Goblin. To have the Hobgoblin be the first person to make the Goblin Glider and the bombs would ignore a major figure from Spider-Man’s Marvel Comics history. That’s part of the reason why Marvel should instead have the MCU’s Hobgoblin be inspired by the Green Goblin. He could either use Osborn’s gear, or at the very least get the idea from him.

Furthermore, it feels like it would be a stretch for Jacob Batalon’s Ned Leeds (even one from the multiverse) to develop his own Goblin Glider, bombs, and strength-enhancing formula. Norman Osborn was able to have these things in the comics and in Spider-Man because of his remarkable intelligence, financial resources, and a team of scientists. Given that it’s hard to imagine Ned acquiring these tools on his own, it’s better for him to get them from someone who already made them.

Ned Leeds’ Hobgoblin May Be From Raimi's Spider-Man Universe

Tobey Maguire in an alleyway in Spider-Man 2.

Instead of creating a new timeline for Ned Leeds’ Hobgoblin to originate from, Spider-Man 3 can utilize an existing one that will be incorporated into the film anyway. The inclusion of so many actors from both of the previous Spider-Man franchise indicates that Marvel will indeed be making the events and characters from these films MCU canon by basing them in parallel universes. It appears that one of these universes will be the home of Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man. It’s possible that it's this world where fans will meet the Hobgoblin.

While some may feel that Jacob Batalon’s Ned wouldn’t work in that timeline since it’s totally different to the MCU’s, Spider-Man: Far From Home made it plausible with its surprise J. Jonah Jameson cameo. If J.K. Simmons can be Jameson in the universe of Raimi’s trilogy and the MCU, then there’s no reason why Batalon’s Ned Leeds can’t co-exist in both worlds as well. Plus, it wouldn’t interfere with anything that was established in the trilogy’s continuity. Though Ned Leeds was a key figure at the Daily Planet and a person who was involved in numerous Spider-Man stories in Marvel Comics, he was curiously excluded from all three of Raimi’s Spider-Man movies. This fact leaves room for him to be worked into their world in Spider-Man’s third solo MCU movie.

How Ned Can Become Hobgoblin In Spider-Man 3

The Green Goblin lectures Spider-Man on the New York rooftop.

As for how Ned's Hobgoblin transformation would work, Marvel could use the same explanation that the comics did with the Roderick Kingsley version of the villain. Ned could have somehow stumbled upon Osborn’s old equipment. Since both he and Harry have been dead for years, there’s no telling how long it’s gone undisturbed. Also, Ned could do what Harry Osborn did and expose himself to the same gas that enhanced Norman’s physical capabilities. This would naturally cause him to experience bouts of instability which are consistent with how the character is normally depicted. Ned can keep or partially redesign Norman’s bombs, and perhaps find a different, unused Goblin Glider. Additionally, Ned can come up with his own costume to distinguish his Hobgoblin persona as something that’s separate from the Green Goblin.

It’s worth noting that Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin is reportedly returning in Spider-Man 3. Unless the movie is using a timeline where he doesn’t die, it may be that his role will be limited to flashbacks. If so, their purpose could be to set up Ned’s Hobgoblin arc. It could be discovered in the movie that Norman Osborn had a different Green Goblin stash hidden somewhere, just in case his main hideout was ever discovered. Depending on how he’s implemented in the story and what Marvel does with Ned, the shadow of Willem Dafoe’s character can loom over Spider-Man 3 throughout the story, similar to the presence he had in the last two installments in Raimi’s trilogy.

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