The first trailer for “I Play Rocky”, newcomer Anthony Ippolito turns into a young Sylvester Stallone, recreating the underdog origins of the famous boxing movie from 1976. The Amazon MGM biopic, directed by Oscar-winner Peter Farrelly, looks at Stallone’s real-life struggle to write and star in Rocky. He turned down huge offers to play the lead role of Rocky Balboa. The movie comes out in a few theaters on November 13, 2026, and then goes worldwide on November 20, which is the perfect time for Rocky’s 50th anniversary.
Anthony Ippolito, who played Al Pacino in “The Offer,” perfectly captures Stallone’s tough determination and signature look from when he was a struggling actor. The story tells how Stallone, who was unknown at the time and had a partially paralyzed face and speech problems, fought with studios to get his script made, which won Rocky the Best Picture Oscar.
Stephan James plays Carl Weathers (Apollo Creed), AnnaSophia Robb plays Sasha Czack (Stallone’s wife), Matt Dillon plays Frank Stallone Sr., and P.J. Byrne, Toby Kebbell, Tracy Letts, and Jay Duplass also star. The key parts of production were finished, and Stallone himself cheered the team on Instagram with the words “Keep punching!!!”
This biopic comes out after a lot of talk at CinemaCon panels, which is part of Amazon MGM’s push for big hits in theaters. It shows how the 1976 movie changed culture by making Rocky Balboa go from being a debt collector in Philly to a heavyweight contender, making a lot of money, and starting a franchise.
Fans are looking for “young Sylvester Stallone actor” and trailer reactions online because Ippolito looks so much like him. As the November dates get closer, expect talk about red carpet premieres and awards.
About the author
Daya Nanoskar is an Entertainment Writer at Awesome TV and a contributor to AWSM Times. Daya covers film news, streaming releases, celebrity updates and industry news across Hollywood and Bollywood, and has written more than 2,300 stories for Awesome TV. Story tips and corrections: hello@awesometv.com.
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