The I Play Rocky movie is bringing one of Hollywood’s most famous behind-the-scenes stories to theaters. Amazon MGM Studios released the first trailer Wednesday, July 15, giving audiences a look at Anthony Ippolito as a young Sylvester Stallone.
The film follows Stallone before he became a household name. It centers on his fight to get the 1976 classic Rocky made while insisting he play the lead role.
I Play Rocky Movie Focuses on Stallone’s Big Bet
Directed by Peter Farrelly and written by Peter Gamble, I Play Rocky tells the story of an unknown actor with a script and a stubborn belief in himself. Stallone wrote Rocky and pushed to star as Rocky Balboa, even as producers considered more established actors.
That decision became one of film history’s most memorable risks. Rocky went on to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Stallone also received Oscar nominations for acting and writing.
The new movie frames that journey as an underdog story behind an underdog movie. It shows how a personal gamble helped launch a franchise that later included Rocky sequels and the Creed films.
Anthony Ippolito Plays Young Sylvester Stallone
Anthony Ippolito stars as Stallone. He previously played a young Al Pacino in The Offer, the Paramount+ series about the making of The Godfather.
The cast also includes AnnaSophia Robb as Sasha Czack, Stallone’s first wife. Stephan James plays Carl Weathers, who starred as Apollo Creed in the original franchise. Matt Dillon plays Frank Stallone Sr., Stallone’s father.
Other cast members include Tracy Letts, Jay Duplass, Toby Kebbell, P.J. Byrne, Kiki Seto and Robert Morgan. The ensemble points to a movie focused on both Stallone’s personal life and the business pressure around Rocky.
Trailer Arrives Ahead of November Release
The first trailer highlights Stallone’s struggle to break into Hollywood. It also shows the pressure he faced to sell his script without starring in it.
Entertainment Weekly reported that I Play Rocky is expected to open in select theaters on Nov. 6, 2026, with a wider release later that month. People reported the film will arrive in theaters in November.
The release comes 50 years after the original Rocky introduced audiences to Rocky Balboa. That timing gives the new film a built-in anniversary angle for longtime fans and new viewers.
Why the Story Still Connects
The appeal of I Play Rocky goes beyond boxing. The movie focuses on persistence, ownership and the risk of betting on a dream before anyone else sees it clearly.
For Latino and Texas audiences who grew up with Rocky as part of American pop culture, the story still feels familiar. It speaks to working-class ambition and the fight to be taken seriously.
The I Play Rocky movie gives audiences another look at how one script changed a career and shaped a franchise. As the trailer begins its rollout, movie fans can watch for more release details before the film reaches theaters in November.