An actor known for his portrayal of Al Pacino is making headlines with his recreation of Sylvester Stallone‘s iconic Rocky pose in newly released poster. Anthony Ippolito, 27, famously played a young Pacino in the Paramount+ series The Offer, which is about the making of The Godfather. He will next star as a young Stallone in the upcoming biographical drama I Play Rocky, which is about the then-unknown actor’s Rocky Balboa.
Amazon MGM Studios recently released a new poster showing a beefed up Ippolito channeling Stallone’s distinct 1970s look and posture. It gave fans a first look at Ippolito as Stallone in the true story behind one of Hollywood’s most iconic underdog movies. The film focuses on the ultimate behind-the-scenes underdog story, following a flat-broke, unknown Stallone as he fights to bring Rocky to the big screen on his own terms.
The true story behind Sylvester Stallone and the making of Rocky
Directed by Oscar winner Peter Farrelly and written by Peter Gamble, I Play Rocky is based on “the true underdog story” of Stallone as he refused to sell his brilliant screenplay unless the studio let him star as Rocky Balboa.
Per Amazon News, “The film is an electrifying true story about an unknown actor with an unshakable belief that he wasn’t just meant to write Rocky—he was meant to be Rocky Balboa. Told “no” at every turn, Sylvester Stallone bets everything on himself, holding the line on playing the lead against seemingly impossible odds. The result is the ultimate underdog story behind the ultimate underdog movie.”
The movie also stars AnnaSophia Robb, Toby Kebbell, P.J. Byrne, Jay Duplass, Kiki Seto, featuring Matt Dillon with Stephan James and Tracy Letts. It has been produced by Toby Emmerich, p.g.a., Christian Baha, p.g.a., Farrelly, p.g.a., Paul Currie, Michele Weiss.
I Play Rocky will be out in select theatres for a limited theatrical release in the United States on November 6, 2026, and will expand nationwide on November 20.