Sylvester Stallone has shared his reaction to I Play Rocky, the upcoming biopic about the making of the 1976 classic Rocky and the young actor’s struggle to bring the project to the screen.
During a conversation at 92NY on September 28, Stallone admitted that he initially had mixed feelings about seeing his life portrayed in a movie while he is still alive. However, his reaction changed after watching footage of Anthony Ippolito, who plays the younger Stallone.
Stallone Was Surprised by Anthony Ippolito’s Resemblance
Speaking about the film, Stallone said he initially wondered whether the project was happening too soon.
“I’m not dead yet. Aren’t we jumping the gun a little bit?”
Stallone said, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
His reaction reportedly changed when he saw Ippolito’s performance. Stallone said he “actually thought it was me the first moment,” particularly because of certain camera angles.
I Play Rocky focuses on the difficult journey behind the original Rocky, with Ippolito portraying Stallone as he attempts to get his screenplay made while pushing to play the lead role himself.
Stallone clarified that he was not directly involved in producing the film. Instead, he chose to watch the project from the sidelines and offered Ippolito help if he needed answers about portraying him.
“I said, ‘I’ll just sit back and watch,’”
Stallone explained.
Stallone Also Wants to Revisit Rocky V
The discussion also turned toward Stallone’s own feelings about the Rocky franchise. He revealed that he is still hoping to convince Amazon to allow him to recut Rocky V, the 1990 sequel that he considers a major disappointment.
Stallone described the film as “a thorn in my side,” admitting that he believes he should have directed it himself and taken greater responsibility for its creative direction.
He jokingly suggested that a new version would not suddenly become a masterpiece, but said he could at least make it “acceptable.”
Stallone also reflected on why older films can be difficult to recreate today. Discussing movies such as The Godfather, he argued that classic films were deeply connected to the social environment, casting, culture and circumstances of the periods in which they were made.
For I Play Rocky, that historical context will be central to the story as the film explores how Stallone fought to turn his screenplay into one of Hollywood’s most recognizable movies.
