Another star has entered the ring to play a key role in Peter Farrelly’s upcoming I Play Rocky biopic, which is set to explore the tumultuous production of the 1976 boxing classic. Anthony Ippolito previously signed on in the lead role as Rocky screenwriter and star Sylvester Stallone, following a notable turn as Al Pacino in The Offer, a miniseries about the making of the cinematic masterpiece, The Godfather. Now Amazon MGM Studios has enlisted a talented actor to portray Stallone’s co-star Carl Weathers, who famously came out swinging in the film franchise as Rocky Balboa’s formidable heavyweight opponent Apollo Creed.
According to Deadline, Stephan James has joined the cast of I Play Rocky in the role of Carl Weathers. The actor is known for his compelling performances in films like If Beale Street Could Talk, Race, and Selma. He also earned a Golden Globe nomination for his role in the Prime Video thriller Homecoming opposite Julia Roberts. His latest undertaking fits his profile perfectly, as he has gained prominence for his portrayals of real-life figures and was also, at one time, set to star in and produce a limited series about the life and work of the neo-expressionist artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, with James starring in the lead role as the late icon.
Similarly, I Play Rocky filmmaker Peter Farrelly has had some experience with biographical subjects, having previously helmed the Best Picture Oscar winner Green Book and the war comedy drama The Greatest Beer Run Ever. He is directing the Rocky biopic from a screenplay written by Peter Gamble, who only has a handful of credits to his name. However, Farrelly previously lauded his work on the behind-the-scenes boxing pic as “one of the best scripts” he has ever read, and it seems like the story is deserving of the spotlight, as Amazon MGM Studios is planning on giving it a theatrical run, unlike some of their other big releases.
What Is ‘I Play Rocky’ About?
I Play Rocky tells the underdog story of Stallone himself, and his battle to make Rocky with himself in the titular role, against all odds, as the studio wanted an established star to lead the project. “A struggling actor with a partially paralyzed face and a speech impediment writes a script that a big movie studio wants to buy, but he refuses to sell it unless he gets to play the lead,” reads the synopsis for the rags-to-riches biopic. “Turning down an offer of life-changing money, he instead works for pennies to get the movie made with himself in the starring role. The movie becomes the biggest box office hit of 1976, notching 10 Oscar nominations and winning Best Picture. The true story of the making of the iconic movie Rocky.”
Stallone’s grit and determination ultimately paid off, as Rocky became a huge critical and commercial success, earned multiple Academy Awards (including Best Picture), and established itself as a cultural touchstone, cementing Stallone’s status as a Hollywood star. His sustained career on the screen has seen him take on several iconic action roles across multiple film series, including the likes of Rambo and The Expendables, while Rocky has also spawned a successful franchise of sequels and spin-offs, including five direct sequels, four of which were directed by Stallone, as well as three Creed spin-offs, but it seems that Stallone isn’t ready to hang up the gloves yet, as he is reportedly working on a Rocky prequel series.