Former Saturday Night Live star Pete Davidson is stepping into dramatically different territory for his next big role. It’s not a comedy, and it could mean fans see a side of Davidson they've never seen before.
Davidson is set to portray notorious mafia hitman Tommy Pitera, also known as “Tommy Karate,” in the upcoming crime thriller Tommy Karate. Production is slated to begin in June, with the film inspired by true events and based on the nonfiction book The Butcher: Anatomy of a Mafia Psychopath by Philip Carlo. The screenplay comes from Davidson, director Justin Chon, and Joseph Gay.
The project will chronicle the pursuit and eventual capture of Pitera, considered one of the most feared mob enforcers in American history. The investigation was led by DEA agent Jim Hunt. Hunt, who also played a role in the takedown of El Chapo, will be portrayed by Paul Walter Hauser.
Pitera’s real-life story infamous within the world of organized crime. A member of the Bonanno crime family in New York City, he rose from soldier to captain while allegedly committing dozens of murders, with law enforcement suspecting him in as many as 60 killings. Known for incorporating karate and martial arts into his brutal methods, Pitera earned the nicknames “Tommy Karate” and “The Karate Guy.” He was ultimately arrested in 1992 and is now serving a life sentence at USP Big Sandy in Kentucky.
For Davidson, the role marks a major departure from the comedic persona he built on Saturday Night Live and in films like The King of Staten Island. In a statement, the actor described the film as a passion project years in the making.
“Tommy Karate is the greatest mob story never told. I’ve been working on this for over three years, and I’m beyond thrilled that it’s finally in motion," Davidson said (via Deadline). "Playing a role like this is a dream job. We have a great team behind this one, and I can’t wait for people to see what we’ve come up with.”
While the project signals a darker turn, Davidson’s involvement in writing the screenplay suggests there may still be moments of comedy sprinkled into the story. Still, the physical demands of portraying a martial-arts-trained mob killer hint at a level of intensity and transformation unlike anything audiences have seen from him before.
Hauser’s involvement also adds an interesting layer for SNL fans. The actor is attached to portray Chris Farley in an upcoming biopic directed by Josh Gad.
Tommy Karate does not yet have a release date. Davidson's other upcoming projects include How to Rob a Bank with Nicholas Hoult, Anna Sawai, and Zoe Kravitz, and Wizards! with Orlando Bloom and Naomi Scott.