I Play Rocky Trailer Review: Is Talking Like Having a Rock In Your Mouth Enough To Impersonate Sylvester Stallone And Sell This Biopic?

The makers of I Play Rocky dropped the trailer of the film. The film highlights the journey of Sylvester Stallone writing and starring in the 1976 film Rocky.

- July 16, 2026 | 5:14 PM IST

I Play Rocky- Just by hearing this, you might have guessed that it must have something to do with Sylvester Stallone’s iconic film Rocky. Released in 1976, Rocky is an iconic sports action film that is still talked about. But the making of the film also has a great story behind it, and how it made Stallone an iconic star. The upcoming biographical drama will see actor Anthony Ippolito transform into the action hero.

I Play Rocky Trailer

The trailer takes us back to a time when Sylvester Stallone was not yet an actor but was very ambitious. The trailer shows him writing the Rocky script in just 3-and-a-half days. he gets producers to hear his script who see much promise in it. The makers considered some of the bigger stars of the 70s, like Clint Eastwood, for the role. But Stallone says no. He has only one demand for the script to be made a film- He must be the star of the movie.

Producers try to buy him out with millions of dollars, but he refuses every offer. He even refuses the kind of money that can help him lead a comfortable life forever. He eventually gets what he wants, and the rest, as they say, is all history. Actor Stephan James plays the role of Carl Weather, who played Apollo Creed in the original Rocky.

Decoding The Trailer

Actor Anthony Ippolito is undoubtedly the highlight of the movie. This is not his first time playing a real-life character onscreen. Previously, he played a young Al Pacino in Paramount’s limited series The Offer.

For Rocky, Anthony gets the look right. He has a striking resemblance to a young Sylvester Stallone. We all know that Stallone has a very distinct, deep voice that immediately sets him apart. In I Play Rocky, Anthony has stressed too much on the voice. It goes so far that it seems more like an elaborate mimicry attempt than an attempt to imbibe the qualities of Stallone that make him who he is.

According to the official synopsis from Amazon MGM, the film tells the true story of Stallone and his “unshakable belief that he wasn’t just meant to write Rocky, he was meant to be Rocky Balboa”.

That is also where the film leaves a bit of confusion. Is this a biographical drama or the making of Rocky? The film also features several recreated moments from Rocky, which is effective at evoking nostalgia. But a forced nostalgia will only get you through the trailer, not the film.

Additionally, Stallone, now 80, has said he was surprised to learn about the film. If it were purely a biographical drama, Stallone’s insight would have brought value to the film and its narrative. Albeit, the veteran actor has confirmed that he was not approached for the movie.

Directed by Academy Award winner Peter Farrelly (Green Book) and written by Peter Gamble, the film will be released in theatres in November.

Watch the trailer here: