After playing Al Pacino in The offerAnthony Ippolito steps into Sylvester Stallone’s shoes to tell the improbable story behind one of Hollywood’s greatest success stories.
Amazon MGM Studios revealed the first trailer for I play Rocky on Wednesday, July 15, giving fans a sneak peek at the film that chronicles Stallone’s fight to get the 1976 classic released Rocky on the big screen.
Directed by Academy Award winner Peter Farrelly, the biopic follows a young Stallone who refuses to give up on the storyline that he believes will change his life. According to the film’s official synopsis, I play Rocky “is an electrifying true story about an unknown actor with the unshakable belief that he wasn’t just meant to write Rocky – he was meant to be Rocky Balboa. »
In the trailer, we see Ippolito’s Stallone present his script for Rocky, which immediately appeals to executives. But when they start spitballing on potential actors who could play Rocky, including Clint Eastwood, Stallone says, “Uh, guys. I’m playing Rocky.”
“Told ‘no’ at every turn, Sylvester Stallone bets everything on himself, staying the course by gambling against seemingly impossible odds,” the synopsis continues. “The result is the ultimate underdog story behind the ultimate underdog movie.”
AnnaSophia Robb plays Stallone’s first wife, Sasha Czack, while Stephan James plays Carl Weathers, the late actor who famously played Apollo Creed. The cast also includes Matt Dillon as Frank Stallone Sr., alongside Tracy Letts, Jay Duplass, Kiki Seto and PJ Byrne.
I play Rocky hits theaters in November.
Is Sylvester Stallone involved in ‘I Play Rocky’?
Sylvester Stallone is not involved in I play Rockydespite expressing interest. In a September 2025 interview with The playlistthe Oscar-nominated actor said he was “blindsided” by the film’s announcement.
“I was shocked to read [about] he. I have nothing to do with it. Since I experienced it, I thought maybe I could join in and give them some insight,” Stallone, 79, said at the time.
Meanwhile, the action star is preparing to release his memoir, The stepson September 29.
