"I Play Rocky," Peter Farrelly's film about how Sylvester Stallone got "Rocky" made, was the BFI London Film Festival's surprise film on Friday night. It opens in UK and Irish cinemas on November 6, and in the US in limited release on November 6 before going nationwide on November 20.
Quick facts
| Director | Peter Farrelly ("Green Book") |
| Writer | Peter Gamble |
| Stallone played by | Anthony Ippolito |
| World premiere | Toronto International Film Festival, September 12, 2026 |
| UK & Ireland release | November 6, 2026 (Entertainment Film Distributors) |
| US release | Limited November 6; nationwide November 20, 2026 (Amazon MGM Studios) |
| Rating / runtime | PG-13 / 2 hr 8 min |
| Rotten Tomatoes | 84% from 44 reviews (as of October 18) |
What happened at the London Film Festival?
The festival keeps its surprise film secret until the lights go down. On Friday, October 16, at the Royal Festival Hall, Farrelly walked out to join festival director Kristy Matheson on stage, The Hollywood Reporter reported. He introduced the film and gave a shout-out to his star, newcomer Anthony Ippolito, who has been praised for his Stallone since the film's Toronto premiere, according to Variety.
What is "I Play Rocky" about?
It's the underdog story behind the underdog movie. In the mid-1970s, Stallone is broke and getting turned down everywhere. He writes a boxing script, finds producers who want it, and then refuses to let anyone else play the lead. The film follows that standoff with the studio and the scrappy shoot that followed.
The film's own tagline puts it simply: "You've got to take a leap of faith."
Who is in the cast?
- Anthony Ippolito as Sylvester Stallone
- AnnaSophia Robb as Sasha Czack, Stallone's wife at the time
- Matt Dillon as Frank Stallone Sr., his father
- Stephan James as Carl Weathers (Apollo Creed)
- Jay Duplass as director John G. Avildsen
- P.J. Byrne as producer Irwin Winkler
- Toby Kebbell as producer Robert Chartoff
- Tracy Letts as studio executive Sandy Maddox
- Kiki Seto as Talia Shire
Is it any good?
Mostly yes, according to critics who saw it at Toronto. The film sits at 84% on Rotten Tomatoes from 44 reviews.
- JoBlo gave it 9/10: "I Play Rocky was a knockout."
- RogerEbert.com's Brian Tallerico wrote that Farrelly and his team "land their punches in remarkably crowd-pleasing ways."
- SlashFilm gave it 7/10, calling it syrupy but loving, and said Ippolito's performance makes it "a must-see just for him."
The common thread: even critics who found it sentimental single out Ippolito.
Was Stallone involved?
Not officially. Stallone has no formal role in the film, JoBlo reported, though he reposted its trailer. Accounts have differed over how much he was consulted while it was being developed. The producers are Toby Emmerich, Christian Baha, Farrelly, Paul Currie and Michele Weiss.
The true story
The real "Rocky" opened in November 1976. Made for a small budget by director John G. Avildsen and producers Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff, it became one of the year's biggest hits and won the Academy Award for Best Picture. Stallone was nominated for both Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay, and the character carried him through five sequels and the "Creed" spin-offs.
That he held out to play the lead himself is the part of the legend this film is built around.
What to watch
The release. Limited US theaters and UK cinemas on November 6, then a wide US opening on November 20, putting it in the awards-season corridor.
Ippolito. Whether his reviews turn into awards-season attention.
Stallone himself. Whether he weighs in publicly once the film is in theaters.
Published Sunday, October 18, 2026. Release dates, cast and ratings are from Amazon MGM Studios' and Entertainment Film Distributors' announcements as reported, and from Rotten Tomatoes. Review scores reflect critics who saw the film at its Toronto premiere.
