Pedro Pascal’s ‘Freaky Tales’ Sets HBO Max Streaming Date

Pedro Pascal has had an incredible 2025, starring in a diverse range of films, from big-budget to small-scale productions. Aside from his upcoming performance as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic in Fantastic Four: First Steps, the actor also recently had a large supporting role in two big A24 films: Ari Aster’s Eddington and Celine Song’s Materialists. Now, one of his projects, which has mostly flown under the radar, Freaky Tales, has a streaming release date. The announcement gives fans of the actor and crime comedy films the opportunity to experience a criminally underseen movie.

According to an official press release from Warner Bros. Discovery, Freaky Tales is set to release on HBO Max in the U.S. on Friday, August 8, before also being available on the HBO linear channel the following day on Saturday, August 9 at 8:00 PM ET. Set in 1987 Oakland, Freaky Tales is described in the press release as “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.”

Pedro Pascal’s Forgotten Appearance in Panned DC Movie Had a Strange Effect on ‘Fantastic Four’

The actor’s portrayal of Reed Richards in the latest MCU film has sparked some mild backlash among comic book fans.

The action anthology film is perfect for those who love the 1980s aesthetic—there are also plenty of licensed songs from the decade to boot. Moreover, the film features an impressive ensemble cast, a must-have for an anthology that showcases eccentric characters who eventually cross paths. Aside from Pascal, Freaky Tales also stars Ben Mendelsohn, Jay Ellis, Normani, Dominique Thorne, Jack Champion, Ji-young Yoo, Angus Cloud, and Tom Hanks.

The HBO Max Release of ‘Freaky Tales’ Will Give It a New Audience

The cast of Freaky Tales in the movie psoter — Lionsgate

Interestingly, Freaky Tales also marks the return to the director’s chair for the duo Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, who haven’t made a feature film since 2019’s Captain Marvel. The duo also wrote the film and are known for their work on the 2006 film Half Nelson, starring Ryan Gosling, and the 2015 comedy-drama film Mississippi Grind, which also starred frequent collaborator Ben Mendelsohn. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, Freaky Tales has a 74% “fresh” rating based on 144 reviews, with an audience rating of 89%, indicating that the film is likely to be a good time for general audiences on streaming platforms.

It’s been a long journey to get Freaky Tales on streaming, as the film first premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2024, but it didn’t receive a wide release until April 2025. The story of Clint (Pascal) and his attempts to end his life of crime, which eventually intersects with other strange characters, needs to be seen to be believed. There is also Mendelsohn’s fun bit role as an antagonist known only as “The guy,” continuing his collaboration streak with the directing duo.

Freaky Tales, despite its impressive cast and talented directors with previous blockbuster experience, received a very small theatrical release window. The movie was released in 393 theaters, earning $400,000 at the box office, making it most likely the only Pascal release this year not to be seen by a broad audience. Hopefully, its streaming debut on HBO Max will allow people to experience the movie and give it a second life after a practically non-existent theatrical release.

Source: WBD