Pete Davidson turns into cruel mob killer in first look at ‘Tommy Karate’
Pete Davidson is taking on a dark role in the upcoming crime drama Tommy Karate, where he portrays notorious Bonanno crime family hitman Tommy Pitera. The film is based on Philip Carlo’s 2009 book The Butcher: Anatomy of a Mafia Psychopath.
Intelligence analysis by Llama

Pete Davidson stars in and co-produces the crime drama Tommy Karate, based on the true story of notorious hitman Tommy Pitera. The film follows Pitera's rise within the Bonanno crime family and his eventual capture by law enforcement.
Pete Davidson is acting in a new movie called Tommy Karate, where he plays a bad guy who was really good at fighting and hurt a lot of people. The movie is based on a true story and shows how the police caught him.
Analysis
A Dark Role for Pete Davidson
Pete Davidson is taking on one of the darkest roles of his career as he portrays notorious Bonanno crime family hitman Tommy Pitera in the upcoming crime drama Tommy Karate. The film is based on Philip Carlo’s 2009 book The Butcher: Anatomy of a Mafia Psychopath, which chronicles Pitera’s rise within the Bonanno crime family and the law enforcement effort to bring him to justice.
The True Story Behind the Film
Tommy Pitera, a Brooklyn native nicknamed “Tommy Karate” for his martial arts skills, is suspected of committing as many as 60 murders during the 1970s and 1980s. According to the film’s synopsis, the story follows the pursuit and eventual capture of one of America’s most ruthless mobsters by DEA agent Jim Hunt. Pitera was arrested in the early 1990s and was convicted in 1992 of six murders and drug trafficking offenses.
A New Chapter for Pete Davidson
The film marks one of Davidson’s first major dramatic performances after becoming known for his comedic work in films such as The King of Staten Island, Bodies Bodies Bodies, Set It Up and Riff Raff. Davidson not only stars in the film but also serves as a producer and co-wrote the screenplay alongside director Justin Chon and writer Joseph Gay. The cast also includes Simon Rex, Camila Mendes and Paul Walter Hauser. A release date for Tommy Karate has not yet been announced.
Key points
- Pete Davidson stars in and co-produces the crime drama Tommy Karate.
- The film is based on the true story of notorious hitman Tommy Pitera.
- The story follows Pitera's rise within the Bonanno crime family and his eventual capture by law enforcement.
- The film marks one of Davidson's first major dramatic performances.
The film's release could bring attention to the true story of Tommy Pitera and the impact of his crimes on the community, potentially leading to a greater understanding of the darker side of American history.
The film's portrayal of violence and crime could potentially glorify or trivialize the real-life crimes committed by Tommy Pitera, which could be problematic for some viewers.


