Summary
- I Play Rocky tells the true story behind the making of Rocky.
- Anthony Ippolito plays a young Sylvester Stallone.
- Peter Farrelly directs from a screenplay by Peter Gamble.
- Amazon MGM Studios is planning a theatrical release in November 2026.
I Play Rocky brings the true story behind the making of Rocky to the screen, with Anthony Ippolito playing a young Sylvester Stallone and Peter Farrelly directing.
Amazon MGM Studios has released the official trailer for the film, which follows Stallone as he tries to sell the Rocky screenplay while insisting that he also play the lead. The story returns to the period before the 1976 film transformed his career.
The story before Rocky Balboa
According to Amazon MGM Studios, I Play Rocky focuses on the then-unknown actor and writer who refused to simply hand his script over to someone else. Stallone insisted that he did not only want to write Rocky Balboa—he wanted to play him.
The new film frames that period as a second underdog story, this time outside the ring: in production offices, rejections and negotiations before the original movie was made.
Anthony Ippolito as a young Sylvester Stallone
Stallone is played by Anthony Ippolito, also known for The Offer. The cast also includes Matt Dillon, AnnaSophia Robb, P.J. Byrne, Toby Kebbell, Tracy Letts, Jay Duplass, Stephan James, Kiki Seto, Robert Morgan, Saul Stein, Trevor St. John, Erik Palladino and Rob Demery.
Peter Farrelly directs from a screenplay by Peter Gamble. Toby Emmerich, Christian Baha and Farrelly produce for Fireside Films and Baha Productions.
The Toronto premiere and Stallone’s reaction
I Play Rocky premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September. Speaking to Reuters, Farrelly described Stallone’s real-life journey as one that mirrors Rocky Balboa’s own persistence.
Farrelly also said that Stallone watched the film and responded positively. That connection matters because the movie is not simply recreating the production of a classic; it is trying to show how Stallone’s own determination became part of the character he created.
Fifty years after the original Rocky
The film is scheduled for release in November 2026, almost 50 years after Rocky debuted in 1976. Amazon MGM Studios says it will open in select theaters on November 6 before expanding later in the month.
The anniversary timing gives the project an obvious historical frame, but the trailer keeps its focus on the creative conflict: a young writer and actor refusing to surrender the role he wrote for himself.
What we think
The strongest angle in I Play Rocky is its focus on a creator fighting to retain control of his own work. If the film goes beyond simply recreating famous Rocky moments, that story should resonate directly with screenwriters, filmmakers and independent creators.
Frequently asked questions
What is I Play Rocky?
It is a biographical drama about the period when Sylvester Stallone wrote Rocky and insisted on playing the lead role himself.
Who plays Sylvester Stallone?
Anthony Ippolito plays the young Stallone.
Who directs the film?
Peter Farrelly directs from a screenplay by Peter Gamble.
When is I Play Rocky released?
Amazon MGM Studios has announced a select U.S. theatrical release beginning November 6, 2026, with a wider rollout later in November.
