(Left) Peter Farrelly poses backstage with the Oscar® for original screenplay during the live ABC Telecast of the 91st Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, February 24, 2019. Credit/Provider: Mike Baker / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S. (Right) Sylvester Stallone in ‘Rocky’. Photo: United Artists.
Preview:
- Peter Farrelly is aboard to direct ‘I Play Rocky’
- It’ll follow Sylvester Stallone’s efforts to get the boxing classic made.
- Stallone himself isn’t involved in the movie at this point.
Since switching from being known as one half of comedy directing duo the Farrelly brothers to making worthier, based-on-truth Oscar-baity type films such as ‘Green Book’ (which did indeed pick up the Oscar) and ‘The Greatest Beer Run Ever’ (which, er… did not), Peter Farrelly has only once ventured back towards his old stomping grounds with this year’s Prime Video comedy title ‘Ricky Stanicky’.
He’s veering back to the grounded world for his next film, agreeing to direct ‘I Play Rocky’, which will chronicle Sylvester Stallone’s struggles in convincing someone to make his iconic boxing movie.
What’s the story of ‘I Play Rocky’?
(L to R) Sylvester Stallone and Carl Weathers in ‘Rocky’. Photo: United Artists.
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.
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’.
‘Office Uprising’ writer Peter Gamble is at work on the script, but there’s no indication yet as to whether Stallone himself will be involved.
Related Article: 35 Best Sylvester Stallone Movies of All Time
‘I Play Rocky’: The Producers Speak
Peter Farrelly poses with the Oscar® for original screenplay during the live ABC Telecast of The 91st Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, February 24, 2019. Credit/Provider: Valerie Durant / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
Toby Emmerich the former Warner Bros. Motion Picture chief, is one of the main producers and had this to say:
“I’ve been a fan of Peter Farrelly as both a filmmaker and a person since getting to work with him on the music for Dumb and Dumber. But it was ‘Green Book’ that made me think of Pete for this inspiring screenplay. Christian Baha and I feel blessed to have Pete at the helm for this movie. And like the unknown Stallone starring in ‘Rocky’, Pete will be conducting a worldwide search to discover another actor who just needs one shot — in ‘I Play Rocky’ — to show the world what he can do.”
His fellow producer Christian Baha added this:
“When I first read Peter Gamble’s energetic and poignant script, I knew it captured something very special. The story of ‘I Play Rocky’ is as unique as Sylvester Stallone himself, a seeming everyman with an undeniable gift who needs to share it with the world and refuses to take “no” for an answer. And like the hero of our film, Baha Productions needed grit and determination as we fought for years to make this project into a reality. We are so fortunate to have teamed up with Toby Emmerich and Peter Farrelly, two legendary talents who not only share but enhance our vision of the film.”
When will ‘I Play Rocky’ be in theaters?
There is no release date set for the movie at this time. The rights to distribute it are being sold at this year’s Cannes market.
Sylvester Stallone in ‘Rocky’. Photo: United Artists.