I Play Rocky | Peter Farrelly

[Cremildo]

“Green Book” director Peter Farrelly will take audiences behind-the-scenes on the unlikely and tumultuous production of “Rocky,” the boxing drama that catapulted Sylvester Stallone into stardom.

“I Play Rocky,” the upcoming film, will follow Stallone long before his action hero days. Here, he’s a struggling actor whose partially paralyzed face and a speech impediment hasn’t left him in demand by Hollywood. But betting on his talent, Stallone writes a hot script that a big movie studio wants to buy. However, he refuses to sell it unless he gets to play the lead. Turning down an offer of life-changing money, he instead works for a pittance in order to get the movie made with himself as the title character. The result is the biggest box office hit of 1976, as well as an Academy Award juggernaut that went on to win best picture.

Farrelly will produce the film with Toby Emmerich, the former Warner Bros. film chief, and Christian Baha. Peter Gamble (“Office Uprising”) penned the screenplay. Casting is underway. FilmNation Entertainment will handle international sales and CAA Media Finance will oversee U.S. sales, which will launch at Cannes. +