Sylvester Stallone Responds to His ‘I Play Rocky’ Biopic: “I’m Not Dead Yet!”
Few Hollywood origin stories are as iconic as that of an unknown actor who insisted on starring in his own script. The 1976 film ‘Rocky’ became the highest-grossing movie of its year, earning 10 Oscar nominations and winning 3, including best picture. This underdog legend has been a part of Sylvester Stallone’s life for over fifty years.
Now, the story behind the making of ‘Rocky’ is getting its own film. ‘I Play Rocky’, directed by Peter Farrelly and written by Peter Gamble, dramatizes Stallone’s struggle to write and star in the boxing classic, despite facing numerous rejections. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival earlier this month, featured in the Special Presentations program at the Princess of Wales Theatre.
Stallone’s reaction to the ‘I Play Rocky’ biopic has been eagerly anticipated, and it reflects his character. During a chat at 92NY to promote his new memoir, The Steps, he expressed mixed feelings at first, humorously stating, as The Hollywood Reporter noted, “I’m not dead yet. Aren’t we jumping the gun a little bit?” This punchline resonates as the film only covers one chapter of his extensive career.
“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.’”
However, his initial mixed feelings didn’t last long. Stallone later watched a video of Anthony Ippolito, the actor portraying his younger self, and was struck by the resemblance. He even called his daughter over to see it, as he thought he was looking at himself.
Stallone clarified his level of involvement, stating he had no role in the film’s production but has invited Ippolito to reach out with any questions. Farrelly has mentioned that he wouldn’t have proceeded with the film without Stallone’s blessing, which he received.
Early reviews indicate that the film is a crowd-pleaser. Deadline’s reviewer praised Ippolito’s performance as so uncanny that it felt like de-aging technology was used, and highlighted Kiki Seto as Talia Shire and Stephan James as Carl Weathers. Collider’s TIFF review found the film overly sentimental at times, almost mythic in its portrayal of Stallone, yet still a crowd favorite.
Variety pointed out that the film has the potential to win over TIFF audiences and could be a contender for the People’s Choice Award, echoing the success of Farrelly’s ‘Green Book’, which won the same accolade before clinching best picture.
The supporting cast is impressive, featuring Matt Dillon, AnnaSophia Robb, Tracy Letts, Toby Kebbell, and Jay Duplass. The film is produced by Toby Emmerich, Christian Baha, and Farrelly.
The first trailer for ‘I PLAY ROCKY’ has been released.
The film follows a young Sylvester Stallone & the dramatic journey it took to get ‘ROCKY’ made.
In theaters on November 20. pic.twitter.com/yg5ePlhW43
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) July 15, 2026
The biopic wasn’t the only topic discussed during the evening. Stallone mentioned he is trying to persuade Amazon to allow him to recut ‘Rocky V’, a film he described as a source of ongoing frustration. He admitted he didn’t put enough effort into it, wished he had directed it himself, and regretted trying too hard to appeal to the audience.
He humorously noted that a recut would not be great, but merely acceptable. This candid moment is rare for a star who has meticulously protected the legacy of his most iconic character. The conversation was moderated by CBS Sunday Morning’s Tracy Smith, who also inquired whether he could achieve success in Hollywood if he were starting out today.
For those eager to see the resemblance for themselves, ‘I Play Rocky’ will be released in select theaters on November 6, followed by a wider release later in the month. This coincides with the 50th anniversary of the original ‘Rocky’, which debuted in 1976. Amazon MGM Studios is handling distribution.
It’s fitting that a film about an actor who risked everything on himself arrives on this significant anniversary. Whether Stallone’s perspective on the film changes after he views the final cut remains to be seen. For now, he appears to be warming up to the concept, even if he wishes the story could wait a few more years.
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