The Rocky saga appears to have finally come to an end, or so we thought. With Sylvester Stallone now 80 years old and his last appearance as the iconic boxing champ being in 2018’s Creed II, it seemed like we had seen the last of the Italian Stallion. The hinted spinoff for the aging Rocky out of Creed II has yet to materialize, leaving fans to wonder if they will ever see their beloved character again. However, as we all know, Hollywood is a crafty beast, and instead of letting a beloved franchise rest in peace, they’ve decided to revive it in a rather…creative way.
The upcoming biopic, I Play Rocky, directed by Peter Farrelly, tells the story of Stallone’s early years as a struggling actor trying to get his dream project, Rocky, made. The film also doubles as a kind of sneaky remake of the 1976 classic, featuring many of its iconic shots and locations recreated. It’s a bold move, but hey, who needs originality when you can just rehash what’s already worked, right? The trailer for I Play Rocky is out now, and we’re invited to play a game of “spot the reference” with all the recreated iconic shots and locations from the original Rocky.
The film stars Anthony Ippolito as Stallone, and from what we’ve seen, he does a remarkable job of capturing the actor’s voice and spirit. Ippolito previously played Al Pacino in The Offer, a miniseries about the making of The Godfather, so it’s clear he has a knack for playing famous actors of the 1970s. Maybe someday he’ll get to play Robert De Niro, and we can have a whole series of films about the making of classic movies. The official synopsis for I Play Rocky reads like a classic underdog story: “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.” It’s a story we’ve all heard before, but hey, who doesn’t love a good underdog tale?
The Never-Ending Cycle of Nostalgia
It’s hard not to feel like we’re stuck in some kind of never-ending cycle of nostalgia, where Hollywood continually mines the past for ideas instead of trying to create something new and original. The Content Mines remain fully operational, and it seems like every year is a new opportunity for the industry to dig up old favorites and repackage them for a new generation. It’s not like we’re complaining or anything; who doesn’t love a good trip down memory lane? But at some point, you have to wonder, is this really all there is? Is this really the best we can do?
I Play Rocky is set to hit theaters on November 6, and we can’t help but wonder what other nostalgic treasures the future holds. Will we see a biopic about the making of The Godfather? Maybe a film about the creation of Star Wars? The possibilities are endless, and we’re sure that somewhere, an executive is whispering, “Can this become a trilogy?” The Merchandising Department is probably already working overtime to come up with innovative ways to sell us Rocky-themed merchandise, because what’s a movie without a bunch of overpriced t-shirts and coffee mugs, right?
The Franchise Resurrection Department: Hard at Work
It’s a well-known fact that the Franchise Resurrection Department is one of the busiest offices in Hollywood. It’s a 24/7 operation, dedicated to finding new and creative ways to breathe life into old, beloved franchises. Sometimes it works, and we get something truly special. Other times, it feels like a desperate attempt to cling to the past, rather than embracing the future. I Play Rocky falls somewhere in between, a film that’s both a loving tribute to the original and a blatant attempt to cash in on nostalgia. But hey, who are we to judge? If people want to see it, that’s all that matters, right? The fact that investors reportedly became emotional after hearing the phrase “shared cinematic universe” is just a fun little bonus.
As we look to the future, it’s hard not to feel a sense of fatigue. Another beloved franchise has successfully avoided the sweet release of death, and we’re left to wonder what’s next. Will we see a remake of The Deer Hunter? Maybe a sequel to The Princess Bride? The possibilities are endless, and we’re sure that somewhere, a whiteboard contains the words “bigger,” “darker,” and “multiverse.” It’s all just a big game, and we’re just along for the ride. So, buckle up, folks, because it’s going to be a wild ride. And who knows, maybe someday we’ll get something truly original, but until then, we’ll just have to keep on rebooting.
Finn McFrame, celebrated satirical mastermind and self-proclaimed “Emperor of Irony,” started his illustrious career as a cinematographer, where his expertise in capturing every single frame of a squirrel stealing a baguette earned him accolades at obscure film festivals.
Born in the glamorous town of Boring, Oregon, Finn grew up with dreams of being a Hollywood director until he realized that satire, not cinema, was his true calling—or at least the one that let him sleep until noon.
Finn McFrame: changing the world, one satirical lens flare at a time.
