Lionsgate has unleashed the red-band trailer for Freaky Tales, the Sundance-premiered action anthology that throws viewers headfirst into the chaotic, culture-rich world of 1987 Oakland. Directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck (Captain Marvel), this high-energy film brings together hip-hop, sports, crime, and punk rock for an interconnected storytelling experience narrated by Bay Area legend Too Short.
Led by Pedro Pascal, Freaky Tales delivers a mixtape-style narrative blending multiple wild, violent, and darkly comedic stories. The cast also includes Dominique Thorne, Normani, Jay Ellis, the late Angus Cloud, Marshawn Lynch, Too Short, Ji-young Yoo, Ben Mendelsohn, Jack Champion, and Keir Gilchrist.
If you know anything about Oakland in the late ‘80s, you know it was a melting pot of subcultures: thrash metal, rap battles, underground punk shows, and the constant hum of something both dangerous and electric in the air. That’s the world Freaky Tales captures, balancing real history with over-the-top action and a nod to the VHS-fueled grindhouse flicks of the era. And yes, it’s named after the Too Short song that dropped in 1987—the same year the film takes place.
The film’s four stories intertwine across the Bay, each one feeling like an urban myth told by someone who swears they were right there when it happened. There’s the riot at legendary punk venue 924 Gilman Street, a rap battle between a duo played by Dominique Thorne (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever) and Normani, a gangster (Pascal) on the verge of retirement who gets pulled back into the game, and Golden State Warriors star Sleepy Floyd (Jay Ellis) returning home after a record-breaking game—only to find himself in the middle of a home invasion.
After premiering at Sundance last year, Freaky Tales is set to hit theaters on April 4. Until then, you can catch the trailer up top and start planning your throwback movie night accordingly. Grab some Giant Burgers, hit up Loard’s for a sugar cone, and get ready for a wild ride through the Bay.