How Tom Hanks’ Lore Led to His Casting in ‘Freaky Tales’

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Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck are back on the big screen with Freaky Tales, their biggest swing yet. 

Ever since their hit movie, Captain Marvel, earned a whopping $1.1 billion in 2019, these long-term creative collaborators have yet to release another film. Following the promotion of their Marvel Cinematic Universe installment’s spring release that year, they directed four episodes of the Cate Blanchett-led FX miniseries, Mrs. America. By the time this political drama premiered in April 2020, Boden and Fleck were like everyone else, confined indoors due to the pandemic. This unexpected downtime provided them with the opportunity to finally work on Fleck’s long-awaited project – a film based on his memories as an 11-year-old from Oakland in 1987. While it may not be as autobiographical as Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans or James Gray’s Armageddon Time, this movie is still deeply personal to Fleck.

The movie “Freaky Tales” takes its name from the popular song by rapper Too $hort from Oakland, who significantly influenced the film and its soundtrack. He serves as an executive producer, has a cameo appearance as a partner to Ben Mendelsohn’s character, and is also portrayed by Bay Area-born rapper Symba. Boden, raised in Massachusetts, struggled to understand the Oakland culture that Fleck holds dear. In particular, she found it challenging to comprehend Too $hort’s explicit lyrics and his approach towards women during that period.

To be completely honest, that particular moment was a game-changer for me. It was when I stumbled upon “Don’t Fight the Feeling,” a track by him, featuring the dynamic duo, Danger Zone from the world of female rap. This song stood out because it delved into his relationships with women, a conversation between Too $hort and Danger Zone that resonated deeply with me.

Women in Danger Zone truly bring him down in the track, which was quite inspiring. It seemed like there was a deeper side to this artist if he chose to include this song in his album, Boden shared with The Hollywood Reporter. This made us contemplate creating our own imaginative story about what might have transpired during the song’s creation and how it came to be on the album.

In 1987 Oakland, this film intertwines the stories of diverse characters such as rebellious punk rock teens, neo-Nazis, aspiring rappers, and a unique NBA player who wields a sword. Unlike a conventional narrative, it follows the style of films like Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction,” where events are nonlinear and character-driven. However, it also shares a similar unpredictable tone with Tarantino’s work, as it swiftly moves from intense drama to humor, only to be followed by intense, emotional violence the next moment.

Regardless of the enormous profits they earned from their blockbuster Marvel film, securing the go-ahead for Boden and Fleck’s project, Freaky Tales, wasn’t a given or an easy decision to make.

Despite its unique and non-traditional nature, a film like “Freaky Tales” poses challenges in getting produced. It lacks a single protagonist, instead featuring an ensemble cast, and requires careful coordination of multiple components. Additionally, our preference was to shoot it in the Bay Area, which isn’t exactly budget-friendly. As Boden explains, “Although having a project like [Captain Marvel] on our resume may have been beneficial, it still took us approximately a year or more to gather all necessary elements once we had the script.

2019 saw Tom Hanks sharing on Jimmy Kimmel Live the tale of being robbed twice at Oakland A’s baseball games when he was just 14, working as a vendor. Filmmakers Boden and Fleck incorporated this personal anecdote from the Oakland-born actor into their film, Freaky Tales, hinting obliquely at “the star of Splash” and “that actor” from The Money Pit. Coincidentally, Boden and Fleck’s first project post-pandemic was two episodes of Masters of the Air, a series produced by Hanks. It was then that they approached him with the idea for a musical cameo or a substantial role as a video store employee named Hank, fittingly echoing his real name.

‘Either perform in the musical or take on this role.’ Hanks found the latter appealing, saying, ‘That looks enjoyable. I’ll do that part.’

As a gaming enthusiast, I’ve been captivated by “Freaky Tales” and its hints of superhero-like characters like Sleepy Floyd, portrayed by Jay Ellis in his Golden State Warriors role. However, it’s unclear if the creators, Boden and Fleck, plan to delve back into the superhero universe in the future. Initially, there were whispers of a potential Disney+ series with Marvel Studios, but that idea seems to have faded away.

Boden stated that he’s unsure how to respond about future superhero work, as their focus is currently on something else – a more grounded character-driven story. This isn’t going to be like ‘Freaky Tales’, but it will delve into genuine emotional drama once again.

In a recent chat with THR, Boden and Fleck shared stories about their lucky talisman, Mendelsohn, and later admitted the one mistake they made concerning his Freaky Tales persona as a source of regret.

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After the triumphant release of Captain Marvel in 2019, you’ve moved on to create your new project titled Freaky Tales. Did you find it challenging to decide on your next film, or was that choice influenced by the challenges presented by the pandemic and strikes?

As a gamer immersed in the world of storytelling for years, I’ve always harbored an idea for a movie, a concept that was elusive until now. I’d been tossing around an idea titled Freaky Tales, inspired by the Too $hort song, but never quite finding the right narrative direction. After the release of Captain Marvel, we delved into creating Mrs. America. However, when the pandemic struck, it provided us with a unique opportunity to reflect and refine the vision for Freaky Tales. It was during this pause that the concept truly crystallized in our minds.

Given that you now have a blockbuster Marvel film under your belt, does that significantly enhance the prospect of assembling an independent project such as “Freaky Tales”?

As a gamer embarking on an epic quest, I’ve learned that crafting a daring and off-the-beaten-path narrative like “Freaky Tales” isn’t a walk in the park. It’s not your typical solo adventure; it’s an ensemble journey with various interwoven threads that required meticulous coordination. Plus, our heart was set on the Bay Area as our backdrop, but that wasn’t the most budget-friendly location, and it didn’t offer the biggest tax incentives. So, we encountered numerous hurdles along the way. However, having a blockbuster like “Captain Marvel” in our portfolio undeniably opened some doors. Yet, it took us over a year (or more) to line up all the puzzle pieces after we had the script. While we were at it, we also filmed a few episodes of “Masters of the Air,” still chasing that elusive financing.

And so, we were introduced to a crucial figure named Tom Hanks. He didn’t exactly secure the film’s production, but having him on board definitely added to our excitement.

Do you recall the episode of Kimmel featuring Tom Hanks, where he shared his experience of being robbed as a 14-year-old vendor for the Oakland A’s? You incorporated that story into your script. I’m wondering if that anecdote played a significant role in securing him the part of the video store clerk?

Even though there was uncertainty if Tom Hanks would be involved, characters in the film often referred to him indirectly. In the movie, there was a recurring theme about an acclaimed actor from Oakland, albeit unnamed, and it was clear that this character was Tom Hanks. When working on the Hanks-produced ‘Masters of the Air’, his presence was more explicitly incorporated into the script, being mentioned as Oakland legend Tom Hanks in a musical segment. Upon hearing this, he agreed to participate. This led us to consider writing a more substantial role for him, and so we penned a monologue for him at a video store. We presented him with the option of either performing in the musical or taking on this role, which he found appealing and accepted.

Ryan, when you were 11 years old, did you and a family member exit Oakland’s Grand Lake Theatre expressing disapproval of the grandfather in The Lost Boys movie? Do you remember hearing about Sleepy Floyd’s impressive 51-point game that took place on May 10, 1987? How many recollections from that time did you manage to bring along with you?

In Regards to FLECK, The emotional response from The Lost Boys didn’t occur as they emerged from Grand Lake, but rather, it was a reaction that surfaced following the movie – a film I hold in high regard. This isn’t criticism; instead, it’s just a light-hearted remark about an exceptional movie. The Sleepy Game, I remember hearing live on the radio, and Greg Papa’s play-by-play commentary when he exclaimed, “Sleepy Floyd is Superman!” As a child, listening to it on the radio, such statements would spark vivid mental images. Over time, these peculiar recollections of actual events transformed into something more filmic, hypnotic, and dreamlike. That was the secret that brought everything together.

The entire sequence of events in that game is incredibly captivating. He referred to him as a superhuman, saying “He’s operating at an unconscious level.” This brings us to the concept of Psytopics and meditation, and the mystery surrounding Sleepy Floyd, suggesting there might be something more going on beneath the surface. This ties into the idea we’ve created about his superhero persona.

Is there a universal, green energy that flows through Sleepy and specific other individuals? Could this embody the resilient spirit of Oakland as an underdog?

BODEN 100 percent. 

FLECK 75 percent. There’s something else going on there, too, but it’s hard to explain.

In other words, you titled the film after Too $hort’s song “Freaky Tales” and his music is significantly present in the soundtrack. Moreover, he serves as a producer for the movie, makes an appearance, and is portrayed by Symba. Is it accurate to say that this movie wouldn’t have been made without his active participation?

FLECK His music is integral to its existence. We penned the script without him initially, but upon reflection, we felt his presence would greatly enhance it. So, we proposed the idea to him, and fortunately, he was on board with our vision. Remarkably, he refused to watch the movie until it was complete. However, at Sundance, he expressed his approval, which was crucial because we were committed to maintaining the original work. (Laughs.)

Does the character Too Short always dress in Oakland Raiders and Athletics clothing, despite the fact that these teams are now based in Las Vegas? It’s hard for me to imagine why he wouldn’t choose something else.

FLECK The design originates from a picture of Too $hort donning those items, which we captured when the Oakland A’s were still called the Oakland A’s. I won’t sport A’s merchandise any longer; it’s just not for me. I’m simply not a baseball enthusiast. I’m making this known today. (Laughs.) The Raiders have always had their ups and downs, but they’ve managed to hold onto some Bay Area devotion due to their identity. However, A’s fans aren’t planning on moving to Vegas with them.

Was the real Too $hort a good sport about his character losing a rap battle?

As a passionate gamer, I found myself deeply connected with the movie’s narrative. The underdog spirit in this film was captivating, and I loved that the underdog finally got their moment in the limelight. It was refreshing to see that my past self wasn’t the underdog here, and instead, someone else got to enjoy victory.

The song “Don’t Fight the Feeling,” chosen by Too $hort for his album when he was young, sparked a lot of inspiration for this part of the movie. It’s remarkable that these women from Danger Zone managed to bring him down in the song. The idea that a man of his stature would include such a song on his album spoke volumes about his character. It made me wonder about the story behind the creation of the song and how it came to be. So, we decided to craft our own imaginative tale about what could have inspired its creation.

Could it be that Ben “Mendo” Mendelsohn has become the good luck charm for many filmmakers, and might you be among them now?

FLECK To put it simply, if you’ve watched “Mississippi Grind,” we often say Ben Mendelsohn plays a character similar to Ryan Reynolds, while we resemble the role played by Ben Mendelsoon himself. He’s become our lucky mascot, and wherever he leads us towards an enigmatic poker game along the Mississippi, we’re ready to follow. In essence, he’s our good fortune charm, and we’d go anywhere with him.

In a casual and engaging tone:

“Did Dominique Thorne and Normani’s characters at Lord’s Ice Cream shop, who happened to serve Ben’s character, ever make you think about extending the Captain Marvel milkshake joke they had going on?”

BODEN & FLECK (Laugh.) 

FLECK This never occurred to us until this moment. How fun would that have been?

BODEN Oh my gosh, that’s so funny. That’s really good.

FLECK He could have done the same thing.

In my gaming world, was the pivotal scene in Talos’ adventure influenced by Reservoir Dogs? Now, did Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction inspire the intricate, non-linear narrative of Freaky Tales, where diverse characters intersect unexpectedly across different chapters?

One of the films that significantly influenced it is undeniably among them. We can’t truthfully claim otherwise, as there were also movies like “Go”. Being a fan of Jim Jarmusch, “Mystery Train” was equally inspiring. There’s a whole genre of such films that we hold dear.

As a die-hard fan, I can’t help but notice how busy Pedro Pascal has been lately! Given his numerous high-profile commitments, was it challenging to coordinate our schedules?

Initially, he was engaged when we arranged for him, however, his schedule wasn’t as jam-packed back then as it is now. At that point, The Last of Us hadn’t debuted yet, so he hadn’t quite reached the Pedro-is-everywhere phase following his time on SNL (in 2023). Nevertheless, he was occupied; he was employed. One of the trickiest aspects of this was coordinating everyone’s schedules. Ben was also busy, and arranging for both Ben and Pedro to be on set at the same time was quite a challenge. We assembled an ideal cast for the project, but then the task was to find a way to get them all together simultaneously.

In Captain Marvel, would there be any similarities if someone were to compare the video collection at Late Night Video with that of Blockbuster Video?

Ryan is the one to consult as he has experience working at both the actual Late Night video store and Blockbuster Video.

FLECK I didn’t work at Late Night Video, but that was my store as a kid. That’s where we went.

BODEN Oh, I thought you did. Did you work at another mom-and-pop store? 

Sure, let me rephrase that for you:

FLECK Indeed, I used to work at a small, family-owned store too. However, is there any similarity? I feel like the collection in Freaky Tales is more carefully selected as we have not only the VHS covers but also the “coming soon” posters displayed behind Tom Hanks’ character. Putting that together was quite enjoyable. In a scene where a character attempts to influence Pedro’s character, with his eyes glowing, you can see Scanners and Re-Animator in the background. The script specifically called for those two VHS tapes to appear together during that shot, so it was exciting to have all these details in mind right from the start.

It’s difficult and costly to locate authentic VHS tapes these days, which is why we regret not saving some of the VHS tape from Captain Marvel for our set decoration. It would have made things a bit simpler in this particular case.

Is it possible that we could pay tribute to Operation Ivy, who once played at the Gilman, where many famous bands like Green Day started out? You might recall they debuted under a different name in 1987; perhaps we could incorporate a subtle reference to them as well?

In the initial drafts of the script, we contemplated incorporating that specific band, but they were relatively new compared to others. They emerged post-1987’s peak, and it seemed inauthentic to portray Gilman if Green Day, who came later, were included. Instead, Operation Ivy should have been featured; they were among the pioneering groups that regularly performed at Gilman Street.

BODEN Tim Armstrong of Operation Ivy and Rancid cameos as a client in the Psytopics commercial. 

Is your next movie about Anna’s time in the Boston area? It’s only fair, right? 

BODEN & FLECK (Laugh.) 

FLECK That seems fair, right? 

Spooky Yarns 2: The Sequel” or “Spooky Stories: Newton, Massachusetts.” These names maintain the original theme of “Freaky Tales,” but with a fresh and engaging twist.

FLECK It should be called Wicked something …

BODEN Yeah, Wicked Tales. 

Have you managed to satisfy your curiosity about superheroes yet? Will you mainly focus on creating new stories instead of revisiting old ones?

BODEN I’m unsure about how to respond to that question. However, what we are focusing on next is a character-driven piece that leans more towards reality. It’s not like the eerie atmosphere of Freaky Tales, but it does fall within the realm of heartfelt emotional drama.

FLECK But that’s not what he asked.

BODEN Yeah, it’s what he asked. 

FLECK It might have an explosion, but there won’t necessarily be superheroes. 

BODEN It’s not superheroes. It’s a grounded human character.

To conclude, Anthony Mackie shared a tale about the stray cat from the film “Half Nelson”. It’s said that Ryan Gosling accidentally found the cat on set and decided to keep it, is this correct?

The statement is undeniably accurate. What made it poignant was not just any stray feline, but a cat being handled by Ryan – a significant gesture since his own character’s cat had recently perished. In an unfortunate turn of events, Ryan’s character had inadvertently taken the life of his pet. This scene served as a touching nod to Dan’s character mourning the loss of his own feline companion. As Ryan picked up the stray, our Director of Photography (DP), Andrij Parekh, instinctively trailed him. Anthony’s character then reacted sharply, saying, “You can’t bring that filth into my house, man. Put that cat down.” This left Ryan with no choice but to set the stray cat free, and as he and Anthony entered the house, the camera followed the forlorn animal as it scampered away. This improvised scene was a moving moment for all three – the cameraman, Ryan, and Anthony – and I found it incredibly heartwarming.

Amazing. Well, congrats on Freaky Tales.

As a devoted admirer, I’d like to express my gratitude for your insightful queries. The milkshake suggestion, while it may cause some sleepless nights, certainly sparked our creativity!

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Freaky Tales opens in movie theaters on April 4.

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2025-04-02 23:56