Sylvester Stallone Finally Shares First Reaction To Upcoming 'Rocky' Biopic

It’s been 50 years since the film that set a milestone for sports dramas hit theaters, breaking box-office and critical expectations at launch. A true underdog story on screen and in real life, that movie made a superstar out of its then-struggling young lead, who recently shared strong opinions on the upcoming biopic celebrating his career triumph.

Sylvester Stallone was largely a bit player for seven years before landing his breakout role in Rocky, but even then, the movie was still an uphill climb. The upcoming biographical drama, I Play Rocky, captures the actor’s grit and grind, portrayed by Stallone’s doppelganger, Anthony Ippolito. Speaking at 92NY this week (via The Hollywood Reporter), Stallone admitted he was initially conflicted about the project, but seeing Ippolito’s performance helped.

“[I was] kind of mixed because I’m going, ‘I’m not dead yet. Aren’t we jumping the gun a little bit?’ And then I saw this video of this kid [Ippolito]. I actually thought it was me the first moment; there were a couple of angles. I go to my daughter and say, ‘That’s unbelievable.'”

Ippolito nabbed the lead before director Peter Farrelly announced the casting call. After learning I Play Rocky was in the works, the actor sent a self-tape showcasing how he’s perfect for the role. His uncanny resemblance to Stallone was evident in the trailers, and the film earned a standing ovation at the Toronto International Film Festival, spurring talks about Ippolito’s Oscar prospects.

The actor has proven his acting chops before, having played a young Al Pacino in Paramount+’s The Offer, a biographical drama series about the making of The Godfather. Speaking with Variety, Ippolito said the series helped him muster the confidence to play another icon.

“It was a baptism by fire. It did help, because, conceptually at least, you immediately understand that the goal is to try to strip down the icon part of it, the celebrity part of it, and look at the man. It’s the same task here, but also very different because they are very different men.”

Anthony Ippolito as Sylvester Stallone in I Play Rocky

Stallone confirmed he has “nothing to do” with I Play Rocky, giving Farrelly free rein on the story. “I said, ‘I’ll just sit back and watch.’ I talked to the kid. I said, ‘If you want any questions, here I am,’ and that was it. But they did it all on their own,” he said.

The making of Rocky was notoriously chaotic and underfunded, shot in just 28 days with a $1 million budget. Director John G. Avildsen resorted to guerrilla tactics to shoot many of the scenes, involving locals who had no idea they were being filmed as background extras, and the gambit paid off because Rocky grossed $250 million, spawning a franchise and eight sequels. 40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic, narrated by Stallone, is the definitive documentary about the making of the film, featuring never-before-seen footage that offers a new retrospective on the cinematic classic.

I Play Rocky has a lot going for it ahead of its release, having earned its subject’s blessing and an overwhelmingly positive reception from critics. Rocky was the first sports film to win an Academy Award for Best Picture, beating heavyweights Bound for Glory, All the President’s Men, Taxi Driver, and Network — whether I Play Rocky will retread the same road to the Oscars is still uncertain, but it’s already generating buzz leading up to that.