Anthony Ippolito to Play Sylvester Stallone in Amazon MGM’s Movie Behind Making of Boxing Classic

Anthony Ippolito is set to play Sylvester Stallone in the upcoming biopic “I Play Rocky”, following his portrayal of Al Pacino in the Paramount limited series “The Offer”. Directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Peter Farrelly, known for “Green Book” and “Dumb and Dumber”, the movie tells the true story of how Stallone fought to write and star in the iconic boxing classic “Rocky”.

The film highlights Stallone’s determination to play Rocky Balboa despite being rejected multiple times. With a meager budget of $1 million, Stallone refused to sell the rights to his script unless he was allowed to play the lead, ultimately making cinematic history. “I Play Rocky” boasts an impressive cast, including:

• Main Cast:
• Anthony Ippolito as Sylvester Stallone
• Stephan James as Carl Weathers (Apollo Creed)
• AnnaSophia Robb as Sasha Czack (Stallone’s wife)
• Matt Dillon as Frank Stallone Sr. (Sylvester’s father)
• Tracy Letts as Sandy Maddox (Sports journalist)

The movie has generated mixed reactions from fans, with some praising Ippolito’s resemblance to Stallone while others have expressed skepticism. Notably, Sylvester Stallone himself revealed he had “zero to do with” the biopic and was “shocked” by the announcement. Despite this, the film’s director and producers are confident in their portrayal of Stallone’s journey.

In a fitting echo of that spirit, Ippolito is said to have pursued the part of Stallone with the same relentless drive. Upon first hearing about the project, he made an unsolicited audition tape on his own and sent it directly to the producers. That bold move ultimately led to him landing the role, mirroring the very tenacity I Play Rocky celebrates.

Toby Emmerich, the former chairman of the Warner Bros. Pictures Group, and Christian Baha will produce. Peter Gamble wrote the script.

Rocky, distributed by United Artists and later MGM, is one of the most iconic and financially successful sports film franchises of all time, grossing over $1.7 billion globally, including the modern Creed spin-offs. Stallone created and starred in the movies, with the story of his fighting to act in the 1976 movie, which went on to win the Oscar for best picture, now part of Hollywood history.