Jacob Batalon has revealed the surprising origin of the fan-favorite handshake shared by Ned Leeds and Peter Parker in the Spider-Man film series.
Speaking with People, the actor explained that the now-iconic greeting between his character and Tom Holland’s Peter Parker was never carefully choreographed. Instead, it was created only moments before cameras started rolling on Spider-Man: Homecoming in 2017.
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According to Batalon, the script simply called for a unique handshake between the two best friends, leaving the actors to come up with something on their own.
We made it up ourselves just a couple of minutes before filming,” Batalon said, adding that there was no rehearsal or planning involved.
The actor recalled that he and Holland quickly brainstormed ideas before settling on the handshake that would later become one of the franchise’s most recognizable moments.
Despite not performing it regularly in real life, Batalon said returning to the handshake years later felt effortless.
He explained that filming the routine throughout multiple Spider-Man movies helped turn it into muscle memory, making it easy to recreate whenever required.
The memorable friendship between Peter Parker and Ned has remained one of the emotional highlights of the Marvel film series, with fans embracing their natural on-screen chemistry.
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Batalon and Holland first appeared together in Spider-Man: Homecoming, followed by Spider-Man: Far From Home, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and most recently Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, Spider-Man: Brand New Day features Tom Holland, Jacob Batalon, Zendaya, Sadie Sink, Jon Bernthal, and an ensemble cast. The latest installment is now playing in theaters worldwide.
Batalon’s behind-the-scenes story offers fans another glimpse into the improvisation and genuine friendship that helped make the Spider-Man franchise so memorable.