Pete Davidson and Justin Chon Co-Write Bonanno Mob Thriller 'Tommy Karate,' Filming in Atlanta This Summer

A real-crime mob thriller with some genuinely intriguing talent behind it is taking shape for a summer 2026 shoot in Atlanta, and crew looking for their next feature should start paying attention now. Tommy Karate, a crime thriller based on the true story of DEA Agent Jim Hunt's pursuit of Bonanno family hitman Thomas Pitera, is set to begin principal photography on July 7, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia, with a scheduled wrap of August 4, 2026. That compact four-week window signals a tight, focused shoot, and with the production currently in development, key department heads are likely being identified and approached in the coming months.

The screenplay comes from an unexpected but compelling trio of writers. Pete Davidson, best known as a longtime cast member on Saturday Night Live and for his semi-autobiographical feature The King of Staten Island, co-wrote the script alongside Justin Chon, the writer-director behind the critically lauded Blue Bayou and Gook, and Joseph Gay. Davidson's personal connection to New York organized crime lore and Chon's background as a writer with a strong sense of character-driven drama make for an interesting pairing on a project rooted in the real-world New York underworld of the late 1980s. Thomas Pitera, the real-life subject of the story, was a Bonanno family soldier notorious for his martial arts training, suspected involvement in dozens of murders, and the gruesome methods he used to dispose of victims. The source material is vivid and well-documented, which should give the production's art and costume departments rich period detail to work with.

The producing team is deep and draws from multiple corners of the industry. Lucan Toh and Ford Corbett are among the producers attached, joined by Nathan Klingher, Mark Fasano, Joshua Harris, Michael Rothstein, and Samuel Hall. The breadth of the producing team, combined with the involvement of WME Independent and CAA Media Finance as production entities, points to a project with serious packaging muscle behind it. Both WME Independent and CAA Media Finance operate as financing and sales arms of their respective talent agencies, and their dual involvement here suggests the film is being positioned for a robust sales strategy, likely targeting festival placement and a major distribution deal. Two and Two Pictures and North. Five. Six. round out the production company lineup. The combination of agency-backed financing and multiple indie producers typically indicates a mid-to-upper-tier independent feature budget, likely in the range that supports a fully crewed union shoot.

Atlanta is a logical home for this production, and not just because of Georgia's well-established 30 percent transferable tax credit, one of the most aggressive film incentives in the country. The city has built one of the deepest local crew bases outside of Los Angeles and New York, with strong representation across every department. For a period crime thriller set primarily in New York, Atlanta's wealth of adaptable urban locations and standing sets at facilities like Trilith Studios and Eagle Rock Studios give the production the flexibility to dress for late-1980s Brooklyn and Staten Island without the cost of actually shooting there. Local crew familiar with shooting New York-adjacent period pieces in Georgia will find this a comfortable fit. That said, given the script's origins and the New York-rooted creative team, it would not be surprising if some department heads are brought in from outside the region.

Behind the camera, cinematographer Matthew Chuang is attached to shoot the film. Chuang has been building a strong resume in the independent space and brings a visual sensibility well-suited to the gritty, grounded tone a story like this demands. First Assistant Director Laura Klein is already on board, which is an encouraging sign for how organized the production is at this stage. Having a 1st AD attached during development suggests the team is thinking practically about scheduling from early on. On the casting side, Chase Paris and Tara Feldstein Bennett are both listed as casting directors. Paris has cast a wide range of independent features and television projects, and Feldstein Bennett brings additional depth to the team. With no cast announced yet, the casting process is very much open, and agents repping actors with strong dramatic range and physical credibility should be tracking this one closely.

For crew, the genre and period setting carry clear implications. A late-1980s New York crime thriller will require a well-staffed art department capable of period-accurate set dressing and production design. The martial arts angle built into Pitera's character means a stunt coordinator and fight choreographer will be essential hires. Given the logline's emphasis on Pitera's brutality, expect the production to lean into action and violence in ways that will require a prepared special effects and possibly makeup effects team. The compressed four-week schedule also means the production will need crew who can move fast without sacrificing quality. Line Producer Cameron Boling and Production Supervisor Chelsea Solomon are already in place to manage the logistics, which is reassuring for crew evaluating the production's organizational readiness.

ProductionList.com has the full listing for Tommy Karate, including production office contact details, the complete crew roster as it develops, and any scheduling or location updates as the July 2026 start approaches. With filming still roughly five months out, now is precisely the right time to make contact, introduce yourself to department heads, and get on the radar before the key positions fill. Check the listing regularly as the pre-production timeline accelerates.

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