The story behind one of Hollywood’s most inspiring sports films is coming to the big screen. I Play Rocky, a new biopic about Sylvester Stallone’s journey to create Rocky, has released its first trailer ahead of its theatrical debut this autumn.
According to Deadline, the film follows Stallone’s struggle to bring his script, inspired by boxer Chuck Wepner’s real-life fight against Muhammad Ali, to the screen. The trailer shows the then little-known actor and writer refusing to sell the script unless he could play the lead role himself.
Stallone’s condition — “I play Rocky” — became a major obstacle for several studios. However, he eventually convinced producers Irwin Winkler, played by P.J. Byrne, and Robert Chartoff, played by Toby Kebbell, to support the project. The film then moves into Stallone’s journey of learning to become a boxer, actor and Hollywood star.
Directed by Peter Farrelly, whose solo filmmaking career includes the Oscar-winning Green Book, I Play Rocky stars Anthony Ippolito as the young Stallone. The film will hit theatres on 13 November through Amazon MGM Studios.
The biopic also features portrayals of several key figures connected to Rocky. Stephan James will play Carl Weathers’ Apollo Creed, Robert Morgan will portray Burgess Meredith’s Mickey, and Kiki Seto will take on the role of Talia Shire’s Adrian. Jay Duplass will play Rocky director John Avildsen.
The cast also includes Matt Dillon as Stallone’s father, Frank Stallone Sr., and AnnaSophia Robb as Stallone’s then-wife Sasha Czack. The screenplay comes from Peter Gamble, known for Office Uprising.
While Stallone remains closely linked to the legacy of Rocky, he is not involved behind the scenes in I Play Rocky. The actor is serving as a producer on John Rambo, another project connected to one of his iconic early roles, but he has no production role in this biopic.
Rocky, released in 1976, remains one of Stallone’s most celebrated works and a landmark film in the inspirational sports genre. I Play Rocky will explore the unlikely journey that turned the struggling actor’s vision into a cinematic classic.
