Fresh off of joining the cast of SNL50, Pedro Pascal leads a very different kind of ensemble. (Though both also feature Tom Hanks.) Freaky Tales, described as a “pulpy blend of explosive action, edgy humor, gory kills, and sly twists,” hits theaters on April 4 and features the likes of Ben Mendelsohn, Jay Ellis, Dominique Thorne, Jack Champion, and Ji-young Yoo. The Freaky Tales trailer also features the final performance of Angus Cloud, the late Euphoria star who died in 2023.
Co-directed by Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden (Captain Marvel), the anthology story is set in Oakland, California in 1987 and follows “a multi-track mixtape of colorful characters—an NBA star, a corrupt cop, a female rap duo, teen punks, neo-Nazis, and a debt collector—on a collision course in a fever dream of showdowns and battles,” per the film’s logline. In the Freaky Tales trailer, Pascal is introduced as a criminal hired for that classic One Last Job—except he doesn’t want to do One Last Job. Chaos, violence, and a lot of bloodshed ensue.
Freaky Tales, which counts hip hop pioneer Too $hort as an executive producer, celebrated its world premiere at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. Reflecting on Cloud’s work at the premiere, co-director Boden said, “We felt really lucky to have gotten him in the movie. He cared so much about the role. Even in the most tense moments on set, he would bring this different energy and help break the tension. He ends up bringing this very specific, very Angus energy to the role. He totally transforms it from something that could be a very average role that you don’t think that much about into something that has a very specific life to it.” She added, “He was just a breath of fresh air. I know a lot of people on the movie felt that way—touched by his presence.”
