‘Freaky Tales,’ plus more movies and shows to watch this weekend

If his 2025 films “Eddington,” “Materialists,” and “Fantastic Four: First Steps” (not to mention the new season of “The Last of Us”) haven’t satiated your appetite for Pedro Pascal yet, you’re in luck. The anthology comedy “Freaky Tales” (which also features appearances by Tom Hanks and Ben Mendelsohn), arrives Friday on HBO Max, giving fans yet another option for swooning over the highly in-demand Hollywood heartthrob. In the film’s third chapter, Pascal plays a debt collector caught up in a tale of revenge. Available on HBO Max

“The Monkey,” the latest Stephen King tale to receive a big-screen adaptation, hits Hulu this week. Directed by Osgood Perkins, the horror story revolves around a cursed toy monkey that deals out deadly accidents whenever its key is turned. Theo James plays protagonist twin brothers Hal and Bill, while stars Tatiana Maslany, Adam Scott, and Elijah Wood all have cameos. Available on Hulu

He’s no Tom Brady, but Bills quarterback Josh Allen is also pretty good at tossing footballs, earning last year’s NFL MVP award. As Buffalo looks to make another deep playoff run, HBO is following the squad during training camp for the latest season of its “Hard Knocks” docuseries. And even if you’re not a Bills fan, viewers can take solace in the narrations of Liev Schreiber, as the actor returns as the soothing voice of the series. Available on HBO Max

Seth Rogen continues to bring the laughs to Apple TV+, as “The Studio” star is back for season 2 of his other hit show for the streamer, “Platonic.” The series, which kicked off its new season this week, stars Rogen and Rose Byrne as best pals who’ve lost touch, but reconnect in time to help each other deal with their relationship troubles and midlife hiccups. The new season features “Saturday Night Live” alums Aidy Bryant, Kyle Mooney, and Beck Bennett in recurring roles. Available on Apple TV+

One of my favorite new shows of 2025, Adult Swim’s thought-provoking series “Common Side Effects” is streaming on HBO Max. Part action comedy, part conspiracy thriller, the beautifully animated show follows Marshall (Dave King), a poorly-dressed but kind-hearted guy, who discovers a mushroom that can cure all illnesses and even bring people back from the brink of death. However, his discovery catches the attention of Big Pharma, which wants to shut him down because the miracle fungus is bad for business. Mike Judge (“King of the Hill”) provided the voice of greedy exec Rick and also served as an executive producer on the series. Available on HBO Max

Before FX’s “Alien: Earth” prequel show debuts next week, catch up on the space-faring horror franchise with a marathon of all the “Alien” movies. From 1979’s “Alien” to last year’s “Alien: Romulus,” every movie from the series is currently streaming on Hulu (including the “Alien vs. Predator” crossover movies). 2017’s “Alien: Covenant” is also streaming on HBO Max, in addition to Hulu.

Matt Juul is the assistant digital editor for the Living Arts team at the Boston Globe, with over a decade of experience covering arts and entertainment.

Matt Juul can be reached at matthew.juul@globe.com.