A new film about Sylvester Stallone’s fight to make “Rocky” hits theaters this Thanksgiving, just in time for the movie’s 50th anniversary.
This Thanksgiving, moviegoers will get a fresh look at one of Hollywood’s greatest underdog stories — not inside the boxing ring, but behind the scenes.
I Play Rocky, a new drama about the making of the 1976 classic Rocky, is set to hit theaters on Nov. 20, perfectly timed with the film’s 50th anniversary on Nov. 21.
Rather than retelling the famous fight between Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed, I Play Rocky focuses on the uphill battle Sylvester Stallone faced before the world ever heard the theme music.
At just 29 years old, Stallone was a struggling actor with a partially paralyzed face, a speech impediment, and very few doors open to him in Hollywood. Still, he believed in one thing — the script he wrote himself.
Anthony Ippolito stars as a young Stallone, capturing the determination that pushed him forward when studios tried to buy Rocky without him attached as the lead.
Stallone famously turned down large offers and refused to sell the rights unless he played Rocky himself, a gamble that nearly cost him everything. Instead, it changed his life.
The film also stars Stephan James as Carl Weathers, who portrayed Apollo Creed in the original movie, along with AnnaSophia Robb, Matt Dillon, P.J. Byrne, Tracy Letts, and Jay Duplass.
Together, the cast brings to life the people who shaped Stallone’s early journey before fame and fortune arrived.
Directed by Green Book filmmaker Peter Farrelly and written by Peter Gamble, I Play Rocky highlights how a low-budget film — made for under $1 million — went on to earn more than $200 million worldwide and win Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
With a limited release beginning Nov. 13 before expanding nationwide, the film arrives during one of the busiest moviegoing weekends of the year.
For fans of Rocky, and anyone who loves a true Hollywood comeback story, I Play Rocky promises a reminder that sometimes believing in yourself is the hardest fight of all.
What do you think — does Stallone’s story still inspire today? Share your thoughts.
PHOTO CREDIT: Amazon/MGM
