Kaia HarleyDWE Talent Founder and CEO David Weintraub transcends his impressive television and music career with the highly anticipated Lionsgate feature film Freaky Tales, which secured worldwide buzz at Sundance Film Festival 2024 as the official festival selection and opening night film, a passion project four years in the making which hits thousands of theatres nationwide on April 4th, 2025. Serving as Executive Producer alongside his lifelong client, the legendary Bay-Area born rap icon Too $hort, paired with an incredible roster of major talented actors and filmmakers from Pedro Pascal to Tom Hanks, Freaky Tales is destined for a cult film following, with the hype growing by the day.
Freaky Tales is a 2025 American action comedy film which also falls into the horror and thriller genres, based in 1987 Oakland, CA, written and directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, the writing and directing team behind Captain Marvel. David Weintraub and his collaborator of 17 years Too Short joined forces with Boden and Fleck to develop and conceptualize the film. The leading and supporting cast includes Pedro Pascal, Ben Mendelsohn, Jay Ellis, Tom Hanks, Too Short, Normani, Dominique Thorne, Ji-Young Yoo, Jack Champion, Marteen, Sleepy Floyd, and Kier Gilchrist.
Euphoria star Angus Cloud also plays a featured role in the movie, in his last film role before passing.
Ahead of the 2024 Sundance Film Festival premiere, it was announced that Lionsgate had secured distribution rights to the film following their acquisition of Entertainment One, who financed the film. The script, which was first announced in 2022, is based on Fleck’s memories of growing up in Oakland, California in the 1980s, and is a celebration of the city’s culture. Oakland musician Too Short served as an executive producer alongside Weintraub, and “…played an instrumental role in the project coming to fruition, with his music serving as both the inspiration, backdrop, and his song ‘Freaky Tales’ as the film’s title, with the film chapters also named after his songs.” Too Short also narrates the feature, and is depicted in the film’s storyline as a young version of his actual self, but also appears in the film in the role of a cop. Film and Television producer David Weintraub, founder of DWE Talent, served as Executive Producer as he entered another phase of his ever-expanding repertoire.
We caught up with Executive Producer David Weintraub for an inside look into Freaky Tales.
Why is this movie important to you?
This movie is important to me for a multitude of reasons. First off, it’s a period piece about the culture in which we see the birth and incredible rise of Bay Area hiphop. That was important on its own to finally be depicted properly in a film. Second, taking place in 1987, it is also an instrumental film solidifying Short as the incredible OG pioneer of Bay Area hiphop that he is, and memorializing it for all future generations to see. This movie exemplifies what this area was like during this time, but portrayed in an extremely creative, exciting and captivating way. Additionally, having managed and been a producing partner with Too Short for the last 17 years, this movie truly means so much to both of us, and I am so thrilled he was able to be honored in this film through both his music, and cemented in his pioneer status, with a movie now respecting and showcasing his origin as a rap icon.
What excites you specifically about this film?
We had the opportunity to work with the incredible writing directing team of Flec and Boden, who are also from the Bay area and just extremely talented filmmakers. We are so lucky they took a break from their back to back blockbusters to curate and collaborate with Too Short and myself on this passion project of theirs, and in turn, ours as well. More importantly they also allowed me to collaborate with them on Too Short’s behalf on how to really tell the story from his perspective, for accuracy and proper portrayal. I have to really give them proper credit and respect for creating such a fantastic piece of art. This movie truly is art.
How did you and Too Short get involved initially?
Initially, well, Ryan Flec happened to be a big Too Short fan, naturally also being from Oakland, and reached out to us as he was developing the film and asked if Too Short would get involved, as well as lend his music to the film. He had the idea to name each section of the movie after one of Too Short’s songs, which we thought was awesome. We connected on all of the elements, and it was an organic next step for Short and I to come on as Executive Producers, which led to Short being in the film, along with his music, and narration..
How did you get Pedro Pascal involved, Jay Ellis, Tom Hanks, and all of the incredible cast?
The filmmakers did the casting and all had worked with the majority of the talent prior, from Normani to Pedro to Angus Cloud to Kier Gilchrist on various projects. They got the scripts to them all, and of course any of the actors that are from the Bay Area wanted to immediately sign on as well. Tom Hanks of course grew up in Oakland, so he also was excited to be a part of the movie. It all just flowed, but was a long road, and here we are four years later. It is truly exciting.
What was your experience in the film world prior to this movie?
As an Agent, having worked at both WME and UTA, I packaged tons of independent films, so it was very different to be on the EP side of a movie that you want to see come to life and want people to enjoy, and want to get made properly. Packaging is a completely different side of the table, one I was very familiar with, so this was the complete opposite, and I learned a lot in the process.
You gained major attention at Sundance, can you tell us about that?
The movie performed really well, was critically acclaimed, with rave reviews. It was really well received by the audience, which was truly thrilling. The fact that we were an official Sundance selection for 2024, was beyond my wildest expectations, but when the formula is there and the parts all synergize, there is magic that aligns. That is the beauty of the entertainment world.
Your client Too Short’s music is the base of this film, can you explain that for our audience? Basically, Too Short, being the pioneer of hip hop in the bay area, simultaneously through his music, his movement and his lifestyle, helped set the tone of this project. Hip hop is integrated throughout the film, all based on his established presence in 1987 when he was really blowing up on the rap scene. He was the first rep artist coming from The Bay, so his presence is essential to the story, and you can’t tell a story in this world without anchoring it around Too Short.
Were you a fan of Too Short as a kid, being from Los Angeles?
As a kid, I remember my friend had the Too Short album, and introduced me to it. I was maybe 10 or 11 years old. We were really into NWA and Easy E, and my friend turned me on to Too Short, saying you have to hear this artist if you like those guys, and then played me the Too Short album out at the time, and I was hooked.
What can viewers expect from this film?
An incredible ride like they never expected. Just know it is like nothing you have ever seen before, truly. It is an action – comedy – horror – and emotional story; a full ride fueled by incredible stunts, writing, and a merge of all the different worlds of life that existed in 1987 Oakland.
It’s a historical film based on a specific time period of events in the 80s – is the script fiction or nonfiction?
The movie is fiction but based on true events.
David Weintraub (DWE Talent)
More On David Weintraub: The Producer, Talent Manager, Agent, and Deal Maker
Weintraub, who recently published his first book “The Hollywood Handbook,” an insider’s guide and tutorial on how to break into the world of entertainment, has produced over 2000 hours of television episodes for every network under the sun from VH1 to E! Entertainment to Bravo to MTV to Netflix to Peacock. DWE manages and books over 100 celebrities from all aspects of the industry including actors, actresses, reality stars, television hosts, fashion designers, chefs, social media stars, content creators, models and pop culture personalities.
While running his company, David had his own life documented in various groundbreaking prime time television programs, such as A&E’s hit show Sons of Hollywood (which Weintraub executive produced & created) and the Reelz Channel hit series Hollywood Hillbillies. He can also be seen commentating in the currently streaming documentary series – BET’s Death Row Records: The Chronicles, which he also produced, and on Peacock – House of Kardashian, among many others.
David Weintraub and his company DWE Talent, where he serves as founder and CEO, are a proven force in the entertainment business, focused on Talent Representation, Film, Television, Concept Creation, Producing, Publicity and Brand Management. With a thirty year established track record of success, Weintraub first served as a notable A&R Executive for Interscope and Death Row Records at the helm of an impressive talent roster, before then parlaying into groundbreaking tenures as a top Talent Agent at both William Morris Agency (WME) and United Talent Agency (UTA), where he was an instrumental player and visionary in pivotal deals that have shaped pop culture, the evolution of reality television, and the music landscape.
Upon exiting agent-life, Weintraub evolved his career into being at present day one of the top Managers, Producers, and Talent Dealmakers in the business, having produced and conceptualized over 2000 hours of television episodes for every network under the sun to date, with a bevy of film and television projects currently in development. Weintraub has set precedents for brokering many of the biggest talent deals in the ‘Pop Culture’ entertainment business space due to his keen eye for talent, while simultaneously establishing dozens of reality and documentary style television franchises. Weintraub is truly an unmatched force.
Across his career, David has worked, and works with every major name you can imagine from Snoop Dogg to Eminem to Gwen to Nelly to Adam Levine to Metro Boomin to Ja Rule to Wiz Khalifa to Paris Hilton to The Kardashians. Some of David’s television hits and franchises include: Hollywood Hillbillies on Reelz, Driven To Love on WeTv, Love And Hip Hop Hollywood on VH1 Sons Of Hollywood on A&E, Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew on VH1, Sober House With Dr. Drew on VH1, Date My Ex on Bravo, MTV Rap Super Star on MTV, Bridal Plasty on E! entertainment and Battle Ground Earth on Discovery.
Currently, David has several projects in development. There is never a break for Weintraub, and he and Too Short plan to continue on their co-Executive Producing path.
David Weintraub and DWE Talent can be found on social media @DWETalent and @SirDavidWeintraub and Freaky Tales hits theatres nationwide April 4, 2025.