Amazon MGM’s Rocky biopic I Play Rocky has found its Italian Stallion, with Anthony Ippolito set to portray Sylvester Stallone in a drama that chronicles the making of the 1976 classic Rocky. The project, directed by Peter Farrelly, marks a behind-the-scenes look at how the underdog movie went from script to screen, echoing the spirit of the film it explores. Ippolito previously drew attention for portraying Al Pacino in The Offer, the Paramount+ miniseries about the making of The Godfather.
Ippolito confirmed the casting in a statement to Entertainment Weekly, saying it’s “an honor and a privilege to portray Sylvester Stallone in this inspiring story. It is an absolute dream come true.” The film promises to follow Stallone’s insistence on playing the titular boxer himself after writing the screenplay, a narrative framed as the ultimate underdog story behind the ultimate underdog movie.
The actor earned his spot after delivering an unsolicited audition tape to producers Toby Emmerich and Christian Baha, a bold move the project’s backers say helped him land the role and aligns with the film’s celebration of tenacity. The biopic will be directed by Farrelly, known for co-directing Dumb & Dumber and There’s Something About Mary, and for Green Book, which won Best Picture and other Oscars.
Peter Gamble, writer of Office Uprising, penned I Play Rocky, which is slated for a theatrical release. The piece casts Ippolito alongside the broader Rocky legacy, which began with the landmark 1976 film that earned $225 million on a production budget under $1 million and kicked off what would become Hollywood’s most successful sports franchise. The six Rocky films plus three Creed spinoffs have since grossed about $1.9 billion globally.
The Rocky universe continues to expand, with Stallone recently teasing a prequel TV series focusing on younger versions of Rocky and his wife Adrian, a project that could deepen the mythos around the beloved characters. Amazon MGM has also spoken of Delphi, a series centered on the Delphi Boxing Academy connected to Apollo Creed and Adonis Creed. Michael B. Jordan has hinted at pursuing a fourth Creed film, while Deadline Hollywood reported in 2022 that MGM was developing a Drago spinoff, exploring the lives of Dolph Lundgren’s Ivan Drago and his son Viktor.
Overall, the project reinforces the franchise’s appeal by spotlighting the grit and determination that propelled Rocky from auditions to an enduring cinematic landmark, while continuing to expand the world around the original story. If successful, I Play Rocky could offer a fresh, behind-the-scenes perspective on a film that has inspired generations of filmmakers and fans alike.