I PLAY ROCKY Trailer Brings Sylvester Stallone's Inspiring Fight to Make Rocky to Life

There are few true Hollywood stories that are as inspiring as the making of Rocky, and it's kind of amazing that it has taken this long for someone to turn that journey into a movie.

After watching the first trailer for I Play Rocky, I'm all in. This looks like one of those movies that's going to leave audiences cheering by the time the credits roll.

The film comes from Peter Farrelly and stars Anthony Ippolito as a young Sylvester Stallone, an actor who was struggling to get anyone in Hollywood to believe in him.

The only thing he had was a screenplay about a small-time boxer named Rocky Balboa and the conviction that he was the only person who could bring that character to life.

The trailer does a fantastic job of capturing that fire, especially when Stallone asks, "Do You Believe In Me…Or Not?" Knowing how this story plays out makes that moment land even harder.

Most people know what happened after Rocky hit theaters. What makes this story so compelling is everything Stallone had to fight through before the cameras ever started rolling.

He refused to sell the script unless he got to star in it, even when bigger offers were on the table. That kind of confidence could've easily backfired, but he trusted his instincts and bet everything on himself.

Thankfully, it paid off in spectacular fashion. Stallone became Rocky Balboa, earned Academy Award nominations for Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay, and Rocky went on to receive 10 Oscar nominations, winning three, including Best Picture over an incredible field that included Network, All the President's Men, Taxi Driver, and Bound for Glory.

It's one of the greatest underdog victories Hollywood has ever seen, both on and off the screen.

I've always loved hearing and reading about how Rocky got made. The movie is legendary, but everything Stallone endured before production even began is every bit as gripping.

That's what has me so excited about I Play Rocky. Instead of simply celebrating a classic film, it's shining a spotlight on the determination, sacrifices, and impossible odds that made the whole thing happen in the first place.

Ippolito looks like an incredible choice to play Stallone. Fans already know him from playing Al Pacino in Paramount+'s The Offer, but from what we're seeing here, he's disappearing into this role.

It's more than just looking like Stallone. He seems to capture that relentless drive and confidence that made him refuse to let anyone else become Rocky Balboa.

The supporting cast is loaded with talent as well, including Matt Dillon, AnnaSophia Robb, P.J. Byrne, Toby Kebbell, Tracy Letts, Jay Duplass, Stephan James, Kiki Seto, Robert Morgan, Saul Stein, Trevor St. John, Erik Palladino, and Rob Demery. The screenplay was written by Peter Gamble.

The movie has already generated some great early reactions. The first footage debuted for exhibitors during CinemaCon in April, and it was also screened at a private buyers event during the Cannes Film Festival.

I was lucky enough to see that footage at CinemaCon, and the audience absolutely loved what they saw. It had the kind of energy and emotion that made people genuinely excited for the finished film, and this new trailer only reinforces that feeling.

Amazon MGM Studios has lined up an awards season limited release beginning November 6, and I wouldn't be surprised if this movie connects with both audiences and awards voters. It has all the ingredients for a crowd-pleaser, especially because the story itself is already one of the greatest examples of perseverance in entertainment history.

I'm genuinely looking forward to this one. The trailer is fantastic, the performances look terrific, and seeing Stallone's uphill battle brought to life on screen feels long overdue.

The making of Rocky has always been one of my favorite behind-the-scenes Hollywood stories because it's proof that betting on yourself can actually change your life.

If I Play Rocky sticks the landing, it could end up becoming an underdog story worthy of standing alongside the classic that inspired it.

Check out the trailer below and let us know what you think.