The first trailer for I Play Rocky has been released, offering a look at the real life story behind the making of the 1976 classic Rocky. Instead of focusing on the famous boxer from the film, this movie tells the story of Sylvester Stallone’s own struggle to get Rocky made and his determination to play the lead role despite being an unknown actor at the time.
The film follows Stallone’s journey as he writes the screenplay for Rocky and fights to convince producers and studios to cast him in the lead role. At a time when he was still trying to establish himself in Hollywood, Stallone refused to sell the script unless he was allowed to star in it. That decision eventually changed his career and led to one of the biggest success stories in film history.
Newcomer Anthony Ippolito plays Sylvester Stallone in I Play Rocky. In the trailer, he recreates Stallone’s voice and mannerisms while showing the challenges the actor faced before achieving success. The story highlights the risks Stallone took to follow his dream and the determination that helped him achieve it.
The original Rocky, released in 1976, went on to become a major success. The film won 3 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and turned Sylvester Stallone into an international star. I Play Rocky explores the events that happened before that success and the difficult journey behind one of Hollywood’s most iconic films.
The movie has been directed by Peter Farrelly, who previously won Academy Awards for Green Book. The screenplay has been written by Peter Gamble.
The supporting cast includes Stephan James as Carl Weathers, Matt Dillon as Frank Stallone Sr., AnnaSophia Robb as Stallone’s wife Sasha Czack and P.J. Byrne as producer Irwin Winkler.
I Play Rocky has been produced by Christian Baha, Toby Emmerich, Paul Currie and Peter Farrelly.
Amazon MGM Studios will release the film in select theatres on November 6 before expanding to more cinemas later in November. The release is expected to coincide with the Thanksgiving holiday movie season in the United States. The studio is also preparing awards campaigns for several upcoming films, including Project Hail Mary.
With its focus on determination, perseverance and believing in oneself, I Play Rocky aims to tell the inspiring story behind one of the most successful films ever made.