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Trailer for biopic ‘I Play Rocky’ shows iconic Philly scenes

The trailer gives glimpses of the many hardships that went into making the first movie. From Stallone convincing the producers to breaking his hand while filming the meat-punching scenes in Rocky.

The bronze Rocky statue immortalizing the fictional film boxer Rocky Balboa located next to the Philadelphia Museum of Art Apr. 27, 2024. It was created by artist A. Thomas Schomberg in 1980 for the 1982 movie Rocky III. The statue was gifted to the City of Philadelphia by Sylvester Stallone and after some controversy was removed from the movie location at the top of the museum steps to the Spectrum. In 1990 film producers relocated the statue for the filming of Rocky V, then it went into storage until it was placed in its present location in 2006.
The bronze Rocky statue immortalizing the fictional film boxer Rocky Balboa located next to the Philadelphia Museum of Art Apr. 27, 2024. It was created by artist A. Thomas Schomberg in 1980 for the 1982 movie Rocky III. The statue was gifted to the City of Philadelphia by Sylvester Stallone and after some controversy was removed from the movie location at the top of the museum steps to the Spectrum. In 1990 film producers relocated the statue for the filming of Rocky V, then it went into storage until it was placed in its present location in 2006.Read moreTom Gralish / Staff Photographer

How did Sylvester Stallone make and star in Rocky? Well, he had to put up a fight.

The trailer for the forthcoming biopic I Play Rocky has officially been released by Amazon MGM Studios. The film follows a young Sylvester Stallone, played by Anthony Ippolito, on his harrowing journey pitching and filming his Oscar-winning film Rocky.

Scenes from the trailer show the many hardships that went into making the movie. From Stallone convincing the producers to breaking his hand while filming the meat-punching scenes in Rocky.

Filming took place from October to December 2025, in Los Angeles, New Jersey, and Philadelphia, according to USA Production News. The filmmakers recreated their own version of the iconic run up the museum steps, filmed at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and filming was also seen taking place in Kensington.

Ippolito is best known for portraying Al Pacino in the Paramount+ miniseries The Offer, another biographical production about the making of a film — in this case, The Godfather. The I Play Rocky trailer shows the rising actor looking nearly identical to Stallone, with the thick, deep voice to match.

Other main roles include AnnaSophia Robb as Stallone’s wife, Sasha Czack, Matt Dillon as Stallone’s father, Frank Stallone Sr., and Stephan James as Carl Weathers, who played Apollo Creed in the Rocky franchise.

Peter Farrelly, born in Phoenixville in Chester County, directed the film. He is best known for directing and co-writing the 2018 comedy-drama film Green Book, which won the Oscar for Best Picture.

The real-life Sylvester Stallone is not involved in the production.

I Play Rocky is set to have a select theaters release on Nov. 6, according to Deadline. This will gear up the movie to be eligible for awards season.