Pete Davidson released a first-look image from his next film on July 23 — and the internet did a double-take. Wig, facial prosthetics, dark suit, black-and-white profile: the comedian looks nothing like himself. The role explains why. He is playing “Tommy Karate” — and Tommy Karate was very real.

Who Was the Real Tommy Karate?

Thomas Pitera was an enforcer for New York’s Bonanno crime family, nicknamed “Tommy Karate” for his obsession with martial arts. He was not a movie-style caricature — law enforcement suspected him of involvement in as many as 60 murders, a number that would place him among the most prolific killers in American mob history.

He was ultimately brought down by a federal investigation and convicted in the early 1990s; his story was documented in crime writer Philip Carlo’s book The Butcher: Anatomy of a Mafia Psychopath — the source material for the film.

The Movie: Cast and Crew

  • Pete Davidson as Tommy “Karate” Pitera — a hard swerve from his comedy lane, and a role he reportedly called a dream part
  • Paul Walter Hauser as DEA agent Jim Hunt, whose pursuit of Pitera drives the story
  • Camila Mendes and Simon Rex in key roles
  • Directed by Justin Chon, from a screenplay he co-wrote with Davidson and Joseph Gay

The film is currently in production in Atlanta. No release date has been announced.

Why the Transformation Is Getting Attention

Davidson has spent a decade as one of the most recognizable comic personas in America — the SNL kid with the buzzcut and tattoos. The first-look image erases all of it: a full head of slicked-back hair, prosthetics reshaping his face, and a stare with none of his trademark smirk. E! and Yahoo both ran the same word: unrecognizable. For an actor trying to cross from comedy into serious drama, that is exactly the reaction a first look is supposed to get.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Was Tommy Karate a real person?

Yes — Thomas Pitera, a Bonanno family enforcer nicknamed for his martial-arts obsession, suspected by law enforcement of up to 60 murders.

What is the movie based on?

Philip Carlo’s book The Butcher: Anatomy of a Mafia Psychopath.

Who else is in Tommy Karate?

Paul Walter Hauser as DEA agent Jim Hunt, plus Camila Mendes and Simon Rex; Justin Chon directs.

When does Tommy Karate come out?

No release date yet — it is in production in Atlanta as of July 2026.

First-look and production details per E! News, Deadline, Yahoo and MovieWeb, July 2026; Pitera background per reporting on Philip Carlo’s The Butcher. Photo: Pete Davidson in 2015 by Greg2600, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.