Pete Davidson Takes a Killer Turn as Mafia Hitman Tommy Pitera in Tommy Karate

Pete Davidson swaps punchlines for the underworld, taking on his dream role as notorious mafia hitman Tommy Pitera in Justin Chon's new film Tommy Karate.

Pete Davidson is not slowing down anytime soon. After building a career out of wild SNL sketches, blink-and-you-miss-him blockbuster cameos, and the occasional surprisingly solid leading role, Davidson apparently wants to make sure we remember he can actually act. His next move? He’s diving headfirst into some very dark, very real crime-world territory.

A Comedian Tries on Mafia Psychopath: Davidson’s Grittiest Role Yet

The next big project on Davidson's long (and increasingly weird) resume is Tommy Karate, a true crime thriller where he'll play legendary mob killer Tommy Pieta. And yes, this one is pulled straight out of real-life headline nightmares: the movie is inspired by Philip Carlo’s true-crime book The Butcher: Anatomy Of A Mafia Psychopath.

Lest you think Davidson is just goofing around with another accent or prosthetic nose in the background, this is no cameo — he’s the lead. The role is apparently a dream come true for him. If you’ve ever wanted to see the guy who made a whole movie about never moving out of his mom’s Staten Island house turn into a stone-cold mob assassin, this is your moment.

Wait, Pete Davidson Can Act?

Look, Davidson has been edging away from his 'awkward slacker' box for a while. He co-wrote, produced, and starred in The King of Staten Island (2020), dove into action-comedy in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023) as the voice of Mirage, and actually popped back into SNL in 2026 with a pretty on-the-nose border patrol bit.

The Cast: Who’s Getting Pulled Into Davidson’s Latest Adventure?

• Pete Davidson is front and center as Tommy Pieta, the mafia hitman with a body count that made actual headlines.
• Camila Mendes (from Masters of the Universe) is on board—her exact role is TBA, but expect drama.
• Simon Rex (of Red Rocket indie-fame) rounds out the main cast.
• Paul Walter Hauser (Richard Jewell, Cruella) is stepping out of comedy for a second to play Jim Hunt, a DEA agent who was actually involved in bringing down El Chapo. (So, not just your usual ‘FBI guy #2’.)

From Laughs to Darkness — Why This One's Surprising

Davidson has always been good at surprising us — whether it’s dropping a heartfelt moment in what was supposed to be a dumb comedy or suddenly showing up in big franchise films with five lines and a funny hat. But this one’s different. It’s a real-deal crime movie, with a character so intense that the source material literally calls him a 'mafia psychopath.'

Davidson himself described the opportunity as a 'dream role.' Hey, can’t say he’s not ambitious.

'I’m excited to take on something this dramatic. It’s a side of me people haven’t fully seen.' - Pete Davidson (paraphrased)

At this point, I wouldn’t bet against him. The guy is genuinely unpredictable when it comes to career moves, and I’ll admit it: I’m more than a little curious how this turns out. No word yet on exactly when Tommy Karate hits screens, but for those keeping score at home, Davidson just officially entered movie tough guy territory.