I Play Rocky Premieres at TIFF, Retells Stallone's Fight to Make Rocky
Sylvester Stallone once had to fight to play Rocky. Now that fight is the film.
I Play Rocky, directed by Peter Farrelly, held its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2026, according to Deadline. The film is a biopic, a drama based on real life, chronicling the making of the 1976 film Rocky, as described by Deadline.
Anthony Ippolito portrays Stallone. The screenplay is by Peter Gamble. Farrelly said he would not make the film without Stallone's blessing, and then received it.
The cast around Ippolito maps the people who shaped Stallone's early career. AnnaSophia Robb plays Sasha, Stallone's eventual wife. PJ Byrne plays producer Irwin Winkler and Toby Kebbell plays producer Robert Chartoff. Matt Dillon was cast as Frank Stallone Sr., as reported by Deadline, with Erik Palladino and Rob Demery also joining the ensemble.
The story reaches back to a small boxing drama that grew large. The original Rocky won three Oscars, according to The Hollywood Reporter. It later spawned five sequels and three Creed spin-off films starring Michael B. Jordan. The new film closes with archival footage of Stallone's first appearance on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson to promote Rocky, shown after the credits as the only scene not recreated.
I Play Rocky is an Amazon MGM feature, according to The Hollywood Reporter. TIFF included it among the premieres in its 2026 Gala and Special Presentations programmes, its high-profile strands for new films. TIFF listed a screening for Saturday 12 September at 6:00 PM. The festival run continues beyond Toronto. I Play Rocky and Josephine were set as Gala titles at the Zurich Film Festival, according to Deadline.
Farrelly arrives with festival history. He is a double Oscar winner for Green Book and won the TIFF 2018 People's Choice Award for that film.
For fans, this means a look at the deal-making behind the bell. It is a story about a script, two producers, and a young actor who would not sell without starring. No release date has been announced in the verified facts.
