Yo Adrian, check out a sneak peek of Anthony Ippolito as a young Sylvester Stallone in the upcoming film I Play Rocky. Ippolito is known for being in The Offer, which is another project that is based on the making of a 70s classic, The Godfather, where he portrayed a young Al Pacino. Stephan James (If Beale Street Could Talk) will be stepping into the shoes of Carl Weathers, AnnaSophia Robb (Rebel Ridge) would be playing Sylvester’s first wife, Sasha Czack, and it was also previously announced that Matt Dillon will be playing Sly’s dad, Frank Stallone Sr. Additionally, PJ Byrne plays producer Irwin Winkler and Jay Duplass will portray Rocky director John Avildsen.
Peter Farrelly (Green Book) will direct from a script by Peter Gamble (Trenches). Now, we’ve gotten a first look at Ippolito as Sylvester Stallone in the movie. Head on over to World of Reel, who posted a couple of images from the set of I Play Rocky. We juxtaposed it with a pic of Sly behind the scenes in 1976, and the resemblance is pretty uncanny.
It is reported that Stallone has not given his blessing for the film, nor has he criticized its production. He is said to be waiting for the finished product before judging. According to THR, Ippolito was not messing around when it came to landing the role. The publication says he made an unsolicited audition tape on his own accord and sent it directly to the producers of I Play Rocky. His can-do spirit showed shades of Stallone, who was equally hungry to break into the business and pushed to star in his scripted movie.
The film “tells the true story of an unknown actor with an unshakable belief that he wasn’t just meant to write Rocky — he was meant to be Rocky Balboa. Told no at every turn, Stallone bets everything on himself, holding the line on playing the lead against seemingly impossible odds. The result is the ultimate underdog story behind the ultimate underdog movie.“
In a statement last year, producer Christian Baha said, “When I first read Peter Gamble’s energetic and poignant script, I knew it captured something very special. The story of I Play Rocky is as unique as Sylvester Stallone himself, a seeming Everyman with an undeniable gift who needs to share it with the world and refuses to take ‘no’ for an answer. And like the hero of our film, Baha Productions needed grit and determination as we fought for years to make this project into a reality. We are so fortunate to have teamed up with Toby Emmerich and Peter Farrelly, two legendary talents who not only share but enhance our vision of the film.“
