The highly anticipated Freaky Tales, a film inspired by Too $hort’s 1987 single, has just released its first trailer. The action-comedy, narrated by the rapper himself, stars Pedro Pascal, Normani, and a stellar cast in a story set in the rapper’s hometown of Oakland, California, in 1987.
The film weaves together four interconnected stories, featuring a diverse mix of characters, including an NBA star, a corrupt cop, a female rap duo, teen punks, neo-Nazis, and a debt collector—all colliding in a surreal, feverish showdown. The film’s logline describes it as “a multi-track mixtape of colorful characters” spiraling into chaos.
Alongside Pascal and Normani, Freaky Tales features performances by Jay Ellis (Insecure), the late Angus Cloud (Euphoria), Dominique Thorne (Black Panther), and even Hollywood icon Tom Hanks. The MACRO-produced film debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in 2024 and will hit theaters on April 4.
The release of Freaky Tales comes at a difficult time for Too $hort, who recently mourned the loss of his older brother, Wayne Shaw. Shaw, 61, was tragically shot on January 29 while standing on a sidewalk as a group attempted to ram a vehicle into a weed dispensary entrance, according to Oakland police.