Most comic book fans who are familiar with the heroes in a half shell from IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are likely aware of their connection to Marvel’s Daredevil. Eastman and Laird used their love for the Marvel comic to influence the origin story of the turtles.

The idea is that the same chemicals which blinded young Matt Murdock in the accident then dripped into the sewer and mutated Donatello, Raphael, Michaelangelo, Leonardo, and, of course, Master Splinter. Other connections such as The Hand and The Foot Clan and Stick and Splinter’s names are also difficult to miss and fun easter eggs for fans of the comics.

While recently chatting with Shredder actor Tohoru Masamune about his performance in 2014’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, he shared with us his love for the comics. We learned about just how much effort the actor put into researching the role and his connection with the comics from when he was younger.

We also went into a ton of detail about Daredevil’s influence on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. If you’re interested in listening to the audio portion of our exclusive interview with Shredder actor Tohoru Masamune, you can do so via the podcast player below. 

Literary Joe: You said you based your version of Shredder more off the comic than the cartoon, right? 

Tohoru Masamune: Yeah. Interestingly enough, because when I was a young child, I lived in Canada, but then we moved to New England. So that’s where Eastman and Laird were from. So I do remember, my initial exposure was a friend saying, “Oh, there’s this crazy comic book out from a couple of guys out of New Hampshire, and it’s called Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.” And I remember thinking that was the funniest thing that I’d ever heard. And I had to go out and get it, and I read it. And as I was saying to you, Joe, it’s so funny, because it was the first issue that Shredder comes out. And he talked about his past, and it’s funny that who would have guessed we would be talking right now? But it’s really interesting.

Oh, another interesting thing too, which I don’t know if you guys are aware of, which I thought was neat in my research was, when they were coming up with these characters for the comic book, they were thinking of Matt Murdock. You guys may know the story anyway. But they’re throwing these things together. And I guess they’re saying that the idea was, he’s thinking it’s a TCRI truck or something like that. It’s carrying the mutagen. I think in the original comic book, it hits an aquarium, and it hits this person who is just some random person, but obviously, he goes off and becomes Daredevil.

Literary Joe: That’s right, and it’s funny because we learned that like twenty years ago. I remember we were kids, and we saw the Daredevil movie, we were like, yeah, that’s the Turtles! You know? And that was in 2004?

Tohoru Masamune: Yeah, totally. And I think there was a thing where you know, The Hand. Right? That makes sense. Right? And the Foot Clan. And here’s another one too, is Stick and Splinter.

Literary Joe: I remember thinking that when we watched the Daredevil Netflix show.

Tohoru Masamune: Yeah. So, it’s funny. I just loved the research. It was so much fun. And I remember going to a comic book store and saying okay, I gotta revisit Daredevil. So I went to a comic book store around here. So I go up to the guy, I’m thinking, all right, this guy probably knows more than me. I said, okay, let me ask you about Daredevil. How do I get to know this world? Because I don’t want to spend too much time on it. Because that’s not the role I was working on, but I thought it was important. And he’s going, “Oh man, I’ve got some issues that’ll knock your socks off.” He goes, “come with me.” So I thought, this is the right guy to talk to.

And he knew everything about all this stuff, and he was going off about the different versions of it; he’s talking about the different incarnations of Matt Murdock and Daredevil. And he kept on saying, “I didn’t like this part, this series, because he was too moody for me. I mean, how many rainstorms can you handle?” And then I get all self-conscious because I’m thinking to myself, “Oh, did I make my Shredder too moody? Oh man, am I going to be that moody Shredder that no one likes? And then I thought later, “You know what? Screw it. I am Shredder!” He goes, “Yeah. He’s going to be moody as all hell.” So it was very funny.

*If you’re interested in checking out our last chat, which Tohoru mentions in this interview, you can do so via the podcast player above.*

JVL: So you said; obviously, you’ve been familiar with the turtles for a long time. What did it mean to you and be able to play Shredder in the sense that you got to bring him to life for the first time in years?

Tohoru Masamune: In years, yeah, for sure. Well, the thing that was cool about it, I think that’s why I wanted to go back to the comic books. I don’t know if you guys liked the IDW series. I loved it. I went off of the original because that was my original exposure. So I was going off of that. And I’m one of these people; I keep doing my research in whatever it lands on. And oddly enough, it was very much in line with what they wanted. And that was the weird part. When we finally met, we were completely on the same page. Maybe they were thinking that way too.

I remember the IDW series, which I’ve always liked. I don’t know if you remember, there’s a micro-series with villains, where he’s talking with Kitsune, and it’s pretty cool. It’s a pretty cool issue. Where he was resurrected and would be immortal, he was having this nightmare where he would fall into the afterlife. But then he decides, “Oh, great. Another realm to take over?” And it’s like, you’re just here temporarily because you’re immortal. So don’t mess with the order of things. And Shredder, I mean, Oraku Saki was saying, “All right, great. Whatever. Here’s another realm I can now conquer.” And then he rounds up all the zombies, and then he finds the castle. And he says, okay, so there’s the leader, you know? And he said, now I’m going to take him. And he said I noticed, as he caught up, he started breathing heavy. You know, he is very skilled, but he’s older. And they fight, and he ends up killing them. And then the original person that warned him don’t mess with t peace of the things. It was like an older version of him. He goes, “That’s your fate. You will conquer everything, including the afterlife, but there will always be the younger version of you that will come that will defeat you.” So there’s that, that struck me.

And there’s another one too, where I think it was a secret history of the Foot Clan. I think that was IDW, and it’s all about going immortal or how Oraku Saki became immortal. And, I think there’s a thing where you had to drink the potion, and I guess that would be like the mutagen or whatever that was. And then you have to commit harakiri, and then you’re bathed in that for a long time. And finally, you emerge, and then he came out immortal. And there’s this great closing frame where he’s looking out at New York City, and he says. “To conquer a city of lights.” And it’s funny because every time I go for a run around Shakespeare Park, or wherever they have stairs, and I was running up that thing. That’s part of my training is I hit these stairs. It’s great because when I get to the top of the stairs, I get this great view of LA, and I always just kind of stand up there, and I look out. I just had that moment, and I think I found it. I took a little break to think. So, it was the last frame where he emerges after committing harakiri, and sitting in the mutagen for God knows how long. And he comes out immortal after a lot of pain and suffering, and then he says, “Lord, you will be ready, ready to bring the Foot Clan to greater glory and ready to meet your destiny. And our paths will cross again, Oraku Saki. And we will rule all from a city made of lights.”

And so, I would always go up there when I was prepping, and I would be sitting there looking. Yes, a city made of lights. And I don’t know if I thought of it in terms of as far as its meaning, but it’s a great career bump. And the honor to be in terms of cinematic history, I suppose there’s that honor. But it was kind of neat to take this story and internalize it and own it and live it. And that was pretty cool to do that. And there was so much material on it too, and as I was saying, it’s so weird for something that goes so far back. Because I specifically remember that conversation because my buddy Todd would always come up with the weirdest stuff. So I would always count on anything he would suggest. Okay, that’s going to be weird, and I’m going to like it. And I remember that checking out the comic book and reading those original things and sure enough, they knocked me off of the roof in that one too. Although I think the difference is that it was April O’Neil, I think, kicked me. But I believe in the original comic book, I think Donatello threw his bow staff, and that knocked me off. And there was a thermite grenade, which didn’t exist, but I guess I didn’t get that. They didn’t give me a thermite grenade, which was a bummer, but hey, you can’t win them all. 

But there was that part, I guess, maybe, as an actor, what it meant to me to tell a story that had been in my system for so long. And I don’t know if it even came through. Because I like to take the iceberg approach to any acting is that you do all this crazy stuff, you tell this full story, and maybe a tiny bit comes through. And if it’s sort of like, this kind of very darkly lit shade, I mean, who knows if it came through, but I kind of feel like that’s what made it fun. Because whatever came off, that was all there, and it was kinda neat to be able to go way back and get resurrected and have that whole thing. That was great; those were fun, where we finally meet because that goes back to the beginning. Because he killed my brother, right? And that’s what I’m avenging, and there are a couple of versions of it. But that was certainly the original. So there was a lot there, so it wasn’t just this rat and a transformer fighting. (Laughs) There was a lot of stuff going on.

*This interview has been edited for clarity. Joshua Vargas-Lloyd, credited as JVL, co-hosts.*

As the fallout of Kira’s investigation drives Dr. Lin into isolation, Elle and Justin move forward with the AI Lilith’s development. The familiar faces of Zander and Carmen challenge the mission of the project by raising questions about the AI’s past and future. How will Lilith adapt to all these conflicts? It’s up to you.

Artificial is live and interactive every Thursday at 5 pm PST on Twitch.

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As his Marvel family and the entirety of Hollywood continues to pay tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman, who passed away tragically on Friday after a four-year battle with colon cancer, his Black Panther director Ryan Coogler has shared an extremely emotional tribute to his fallen friend. 

Read his full tribute below:

Before sharing my thoughts on the passing of the great Chadwick Boseman, I first offer my condolences to his family who meant so very much to him. To his wife, Simone, especially.

I inherited Marvel and the Russo Brothers’ casting choice of T’Challa. It is something that I will forever be grateful for. The first time I saw Chad’s performance as T’Challa, it was in an unfinished cut of CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR. I was deciding whether or not directing BLACK PANTHER was the right choice for me. I’ll never forget, sitting in an editorial suite on the Disney Lot and watching his scenes. His first with Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, then, with the South African cinema titan, John Kani as T’Challa’s father, King T’Chaka. It was at that moment I knew I wanted to make this movie. After Scarlett’s character leaves them, Chad and John began conversing in a language I had never heard before. It sounded familiar, full of the same clicks and smacks that young black children would make in the States. The same clicks that we would often be chided for being disrespectful or improper. But, it had a musicality to it that felt ancient, powerful, and African. 

In my meeting after watching the film, I asked Nate Moore, one of the producers of the film, about the language. “Did you guys make it up?” Nate replied, “that’s Xhosa, John Kani’s native language. He and Chad decided to do the scene like that on set, and we rolled with it.” I thought to myself. “He just learned lines in another language, that day?” I couldn’t conceive how difficult that must have been, and even though I hadn’t met Chad, I was already in awe of his capacity as actor. 

I learned later that there was much conversation over how T’Challa would sound in the film. The decision to have Xhosa be the official language of Wakanda was solidified by Chad, a native of South Carolina, because he was able to learn his lines in Xhosa, there on the spot. He also advocated for his character to speak with an African accent, so that he could present T’Challa to audiences as an African king, whose dialect had not been conquered by the West. 

I finally met Chad in person in early 2016, once I signed onto the film. He snuck past journalists that were congregated for a press junket I was doing for CREED, and met with me in the green room. We talked about our lives, my time playing football in college, and his time at Howard studying to be a director, about our collective vision for T’Challa and Wakanda. We spoke about the irony of how his former Howard classmate Ta-Nehisi Coates was writing T’Challa’s current arc with Marvel Comics. And how Chad knew Howard student Prince Jones, who’s murder by a police officer inspired Coates’ memoir Between The World and Me. 

I noticed then that Chad was an anomaly. He was calm. Assured. Constantly studying. But also kind, comforting, had the warmest laugh in the world, and eyes that seen much beyond his years, but could still sparkle like a child seeing something for the first time.    

That was the first of many conversations. He was a special person. We would often speak about heritage and what it means to be African. When preparing for the film, he would ponder every decision, every choice, not just for how it would reflect on himself, but how those choices could reverberate. “They not ready for this, what we are doing…” “This is Star Wars, this is Lord of the Rings, but for us… and bigger!” He would say this to me while we were struggling to finish a dramatic scene, stretching into double overtime. Or while he was covered in body paint, doing his own stunts. Or crashing into frigid water, and foam landing pads. I would nod and smile, but I didn’t believe him. I had no idea if the film would work. I wasn’t sure I knew what I was doing. But I look back and realize that Chad knew something we all didn’t. He was playing the long game.  All while putting in the work. And work he did. 

He would come to auditions for supporting roles, which is not common for lead actors in big budget movies. He was there for several M’Baku auditions. In Winston Duke’s, he turned a chemistry read into a wrestling match. Winston broke his bracelet. In Letitia Wright’s audition for Shuri, she pierced his royal poise with her signature humor, and would bring about a smile to T’Challa’s face that was 100% Chad. 

While filming the movie, we would meet at the office or at my rental home in Atlanta, to discuss lines and different ways to add depth to each scene. We talked costumes, military practices. He said to me “Wakandans have to dance during the coronations. If they just stand there with spears, what separates them from Romans?” In early drafts of the script. Eric Killmonger’s character would ask T’Challa to be buried in Wakanda. Chad challenged that and asked, what if Killmonger asked to be buried somewhere else? 

Chad deeply valued his privacy, and I wasn’t privy to the details of his illness. After his family released their statement, I realized that he was living with his illness the entire time I knew him. Because he was a caretaker, a leader, and a man of faith, dignity and pride, he shielded his collaborators from his suffering. He lived a beautiful life. And he made great art. Day after day, year after year. That was who he was. He was an epic firework display. I will tell stories about being there for some of the brilliant sparks till the end of my days. What an incredible mark he’s left for us. 

I haven’t grieved a loss this acute before. I spent the last year preparing, imagining and writing words for him to say, that we weren’t destined to see. It leaves me broken knowing that I won’t be able to watch another close-up of him in the monitor again or walk up to him and ask for another take. 

It hurts more to know that we can’t have another conversation, or facetime, or text message exchange. He would send vegetarian recipes and eating regimens for my family and me to follow during the pandemic.  He would check in on me and my loved ones, even as he dealt with the scourge of cancer.  

In African cultures we often refer to loved ones that have passed on as ancestors. Sometimes you are genetically related. Sometimes you are not. I had the privilege of directing scenes of Chad’s character, T’Challa, communicating with the ancestors of Wakanda. We were in Atlanta, in an abandoned warehouse, with bluescreens, and massive movie lights, but Chad’s performance made it feel real. I think it was because from the time that I met him, the ancestors spoke through him. It’s no secret to me now how he was able to skillfully portray some of our most notable ones. I had no doubt that he would live on and continue to bless us with more. But it is with a heavy heart and a sense of deep gratitude to have ever been in his presence, that I have to reckon with the fact that Chad is an ancestor now. And I know that he will watch over us, until we meet again.

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Disney will celebrate the life and legacy of Chadwick Boseman tonight with a special presentation of Marvel Studios’ Black Panther followed by an ABC News Special dedicated to the young actor. Boseman tragically passed away on Friday night after a four-year battle with colon cancer. He was only 43 years old.

Despite his relatively short time here, Boseman touched millions of fans’ hearts both on and off the big screen. He potrayed numerous monumental African American figures as Jackie Robinson (42), James Brown (Get On Up) and Thurgood Marshall (Marshall). He’s probably most recognized for his role as King T’Challa in 2018’s Black Panther. As Disney’s Executive Chairman Bob Iger so eloquently put it, “He brought enormous strength, dignity and depth to his groundbreaking role of Black Panther; shattering myths and stereotypes, becoming a long-awaited hero to millions around the world, and inspiring us all to dream bigger and demand more than the status quo.”

Tonight, ABC will celebrate the legacy of Chadwick Boseman with a special presentation of Marvel Studios’ Black Panther followed by the ABC News Special: Chadwick Boseman – A Tribute for a King. It all starts tonight at 8/7c on ABC. pic.twitter.com/1hQRox5FRC

— Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) August 30, 2020

Boseman was first diagnosed with colon cancer in 2016 and secretly battled it for four years. During that time he continued to work to amplify black history and culture while inspiring and educating millions.

Disney didn’t go into details about the special presentation of Black Panther but I presume it will include special messages from those who worked with Boseman on the film. Since his passing, many Hollywood stars have taken to social media to post tributes to the late actor. The ABC News Special will likely celebrate the young actor’s life and recount some of his most meaningful work.

The special tribute to Chadwick Boseman will begin tonight, August 30, at 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC.

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After countless delays, The New Mutants finally arrived in U.S. theaters on Friday. Now, Deadline reports that the Marvel movie earned $3.1 million on Friday, the best opening day since March. It’s projected to make a dismal $8 million (possibly less) by the end of the weekend, but by today’s standards, that not the worst opening. It will, however, be interesting seeing how Tenet compares.

If that does considerably more, then it will be clear that there’s only a very limited number of people willing to go to theaters. However, if it does better than that, then it’s clear The New Mutants hasn’t generated much interest (bear in mind that current projections peg Tenet at $25+ million). 

Overseas, Tenet had a Wednesday – Sunday opening of $40+ million as theaters are open in a lot of key territories. However, as a five-day opening goes, those numbers are understandably dreadful. They have, however, exceeded expectations to some extent, but this one turning a profit seems unlikely.

Going back to The New Mutants, it’s said that the idea of extending the movie into some sort of series at Hulu was considered, but ultimately scrapped. A co-financing deal with TSG meant it would have to play on the big screen, but as the trade notes, “when New Mutants arrived at Disney, Marvel Boss Kevin Feige didn’t put his fingerprints on the movie to fix it.”

Did you head to the theater this weekend? 

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