Peter Farrelly's I Play Rocky retells Sylvester Stallone's rise from struggling actor to star of his own film. Anthony Ippolito plays Stallone in the early days of his career, when he works at a movie theater and parks cars while pursuing auditions in Los Angeles. AnnaSophia Robb plays Sasha, a fellow usher who encourages his dreams and later becomes instrumental to his creative process, typing his screenplays and serving as the film's set photographer.
The story follows Stallone as he leaves his script on the desk of producers Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff, played by P.J. Byrne and Toby Kebbell. Tracy Letts plays studio executive Sandy Maddox. Stallone holds firm on his demand to play the title character, Rocky, despite the studio's hesitation about casting an unknown actor to lead the film.
Farrelly and screenwriter Peter Gamble balance comedy with drama, landing jabs at industry egos and casting practices while letting dramatic moments shine. Jay Duplass plays director John Avildsen, and Michael Fuchs plays Garrett Brown, inventor of the Steadicam, which gave Rocky many of its iconic moments. Stephen James plays Carl Weathers and Kiki Seto plays Talia Shire, though their roles feel minimized amid the film's crowded ensemble.
Ippolito handles Stallone's distinctive voice, physicality, and self-deprecating humor, disappearing into the role during both comedic and dramatic moments. Robb challenges Ippolito as her character challenges Stallone to be an equal partner. The film recreates many of Rocky's memorable scenes and dramatizes how they came to be, culminating in the film's success at the Academy Awards.
The film releases November 6, 2026.