In the comics and the previous two film franchises, Spider-Man has led a pretty a lonely existence. To protect the people closes to him, he tries very hard to keep his secret identity a... secret. And he'll typically try to work out his own problems all by himself, carrying out inner conversations. However, for Spider-Man: Homecoming, director Jon Watts is borrowing from the Miles Morales playbook by giving Peter Parker (Tom Holland) a best friend that he can confide his superhero-life to.

And although Pete's sweet and nerdy best friend looks and acts like Morales's best buddy, Ganke, Homecoming's version of the character is named Ned Leeds (Jacob Batalon) — whose name comes from the comics as well but isn't dramatically different (info below).

In a recent USA Today article, Holland and Batalon spoke of their on-screen friendship.

When Ned accidentally finds out his friend is this masked hero, Batalon says, “he understands Peter’s life and he thinks he’s the one who can help him deal with being a crimefighter and deal with girls.” Ned is an integral part of Peter’s life, Holland adds. “It’s nice to be able to make up excuses of why he has to get out but then share a beat with Ned and be like, ‘I’m gonna go swing through New York’ — the wink-wink scenario.”

In the comics, Edward "Ned" Leeds first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #18 (November 1964) and was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. He was a Daily Bugle reporter who competed with Peter Parker for Betty Brant's attention. When Parker dropped out of contention, Leeds and Brant move forward with their relationship and got married (didn't go swimmingly). However, he is best known for being captured by the Hobgoblin (Roderick Kingsley) and brainwashed to believe he's the Hobgoblin so that Kingsley can use Leeds as a scapegoat down the line. Once Leeds is no longer needed, Kingsley let it be known that Leeds is the Hobgoblin, and this leads to the Foreigner killing Leeds. Eventually, Parker deduced that Leeds was set up and got Kingsley to confess.

A young Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland), who made his sensational debut in Captain America: Civil War, begins to navigate his newfound identity as the web-slinging super hero in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Thrilled by his experience with the Avengers, Peter returns home, where he lives with his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), under the watchful eye of his new mentor Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.). Peter tries to fall back into his normal daily routine – distracted by thoughts of proving himself to be more than just your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man – but when the Vulture (Michael Keaton) emerges as a new villain, everything that Peter holds most important will be threatened. The cast features Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr., Zendaya, Donald Glover, Jacob Batalon, Laura Harrier, Tony Revolori, Tyne Daly, Bokeem Woodbine, Logan Marshall-Green, and Marisa Tomei.

The film is being directed by Jon Watts (Cop Car), based on a screenplay by Jonathan Goldstein & John Francis Daley (Vacation reboot) and Jon Watts & Christopher Ford and Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers. MORE: Tom Holland Wants To Take On Venom / Uncle Ben's Role Revealed / Spider-Man Has His Own JARVIS

Spider-Man: Homecoming will be released on July 7, 2017.