Anthony Ippolito Cast as Young Sylvester Stallone in 'I Play Rocky'

Los Angeles, Aug 28 (PTI) Actor Anthony Ippolito, recognized for his roles in the series "The Offer" and films like "Purple Hearts" and "Pixels", has been cast as a young Sylvester Stallone in the upcoming movie "I Play Rocky".

Esteemed filmmaker Peter Farrelly will direct the film, which delves into the backstory of Stallone's legendary movie "Rocky".

Farrelly, an Oscar winner, will also produce the film alongside Toby Emmerich, former Warner Bros. film chief, and Christian Baha. The screenplay is penned by Peter Gamble, as reported by entertainment news outlet Deadline.

Back in the 1970s, Stallone, a struggling actor with a partially paralyzed face and a speech impediment, wrote the script for the 1976 boxing drama "Rocky". He not only starred in the film, but it also went on to win three Oscars and launch a successful film franchise.

"I Play Rocky" will narrate the story of how Stallone penned the script, which caught the interest of a major movie studio eager to purchase it. However, Stallone refused to sell unless he was cast in the lead role.

Opting out of a life-altering financial deal, Stallone chose to work for minimal pay to ensure the film was made with him as the star, according to the official synopsis.

Previously, Ippolito portrayed a young Al Pacino in the 2022 Paramount+ miniseries "The Offer", which highlighted the creation and production of Francis Ford Coppola's iconic film "The Godfather" (1972).

Farrelly, besides winning an Oscar for his 2018 film "Green Book", is also celebrated for directing comedies such as "There’s Something About Mary," "Dumb and Dumber," "The Greatest Beer Run Ever," and most recently, "Ricky Stanicky".

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