How did Sylvester Stallone, a complete unknown, get to play Rocky Balboa in Rocky? Cinephiles might know the story about how he wouldn’t sell the rights to his film if he didn’t get to star in it, but for those who don’t Amazon MGM Studios’ new film I Play Rocky will show you. And it will do so with a lead actor, Anthony Ippolito, who might look and sound too much like Sylvester Stallone. Take it all in as you watch I Play Rocky‘s trailer below.
….Okay. Lot to take in here. That includes that this story of an unlikely contender reaching the pinnacle of his profession is essentially a de facto remake of Rocky. Only it also feature a bunch of remade Rocky scenes.
Like we said, lot to take in. Whole lot. In fact, we’re gonna need a second to gather our thoughts about I Play Rocky and its trailer. So you can read the film’s official synopsis while we do that. From Amazon MGM Studios:
The film is an electrifying true story about an unknown actor with an unshakable belief that he wasn’t just meant to write Rocky—he was meant to be Rocky Balboa. Told “no” at every turn, Sylvester Stallone bets everything on himself, holding the line on playing the lead against seemingly impossible odds. The result is the ultimate underdog story behind the ultimate underdog movie.
Nerdist Take: Anthony Ippolito’s Performance as Sylvester Stallone in the I Play Rocky Trailer Is TOO Uncanny
Apparently when you need someone to portray a Hollywood legend in a project about them being in a famous movie, you turn to Anthony Ippolito. He previously played Al Pacino in Paramount+’ miniseries The Offer, which we will now think of as I Play Michael Corleone. In this I Play Rocky trailer, Ippolito sounds exactly like Stallone in Rocky. The resemblance is uncanny, too. And he captures all of that without the real thing’s help. Stallone previously said he had no involvement with I Play Rocky, despite the fact he played Rocky. We’re going to call this possession a little too uncanny. It’s a wild age for biopics.
Directed by Peter Farrelly with a script from Peter Gamble, the movie also stars Matt Dillon, AnnaSophia Robb, P.J. Byrne, Toby Kebbell, Tracy Letts, Jay Duplass, Stephan James, and Kiki Seto.
We’re not sure whether or not any of the above actors will look and sound too much like the person they play. And we have no idea if that is better or worse. We’ll find out when I Play Rocky plays in theaters on November 6, 2026.