Sylvester Stallone's 'I Play Rocky' biopic revisits his $360K 'Rocky' performance
NEWNow you can listen to Fox News articles!
Sylvester Stallone's “Rocky” story will be retold in Peter Farrelly's biopic, “I Play Rocky.” To bring it to life, Farrelly had to go back to when “Rocky” became a household name, and it started with Stallone selling his screenplay only if he was cast in the lead role.
In the trailer for “I Play Rocky”, Stallone – played by Anthony Ippolito – presents a script he wrote in three days to the movie producers. They offered him a huge fee for the script, but Stallone refused. Eventually, the producers relented and cast Stallone in the role that changed his life.
Experts told Fox News Digital that this move from Stallone was unheard of at the time.
Sylvester Stallone wrote “Rocky” in three days and refused to sell his screenplay unless he was cast as the lead. (Getty Images)
“It was unheard of at the time, especially for someone in Stallone's difficult economic situation,” says film historian Dwight Cleveland. In the trailer, Stallone was seen working as a valet when he created “Rocky.”
SYLVESTER STALLONE REVEALS 'ROCKY' SETTINGS: 'IF YOU WANT TO REALLY FEEL IT, YOU HAVE TO LIVE'
Tisha Morris, an entertainment lawyer at Legacy Arts Law, said: “Stallone's decision was unusual. Most first-time writers were expected to take the money and give up control over the acting.”
From a legal standpoint, Stallone had every right to pull off the move he did.
“Legally, Stallone can keep the screen and set that scene because he owns the copyright,” he continued. “However, the risk was that the producers would just walk away, leaving him without a commercial or a film. He was betting the entire market value of the screenplay on him as an actor.”
Cleveland said Stallone acted like his character in the movies when it came to the first interviews.
“Like his character, Stallone hoped that his story was a real winner, so he held back knowing that this was his breakthrough as an actor and as a writer,” he said. “He wasn't willing to give that to someone else and be left powerless in Hollywood. Film shows the human condition and this time it was true to the heart.”
Talia Shire and Sylvester Stallone appear on the poster for “Rocky” in 1976. (Getty Images)
Marc Simon, an entertainment attorney at Fox Rothschild in New York, told Fox News Digital that Stallone's reluctance to change is one of the most cited examples in Hollywood history of an unknown talent turning down life-changing money on principle.
“Stallone was an unknown actor with only small parts to his name, and producers Robert Chartoff and Irwin Winkler wanted to buy his script outright – with reports indicating that offers had risen to $360K with stars (such as Ryan O'Neal, Burt Reynolds, and James Caan) identified as the lead,” says Simon.
LIKE YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE FUN NEWS
He continued, “Financially today, it's about the equivalent of someone being offered more than $2M. Stallone bet everything on playing a movie – a role that no one wanted to play. The owner of the property, and he put everything on the line for his million to one shot, and like Rocky himself left an indelible mark on cinema and culture, which will be an eternal legacy.”
Beatrice Straight and Sylvester Stallone at the 49th Academy Awards in 1977. (Getty Images)
According to Simon, it was a win-win for the producers to agree to Stallone's terms.
“Financially, Stallone's insistence on acting was matched by his willingness to accept a dramatically reduced salary and rights fee, which reduced the film's budget risk at a time when 'Rocky' was made on an estimated budget of about $1 million,” he said. “So, the economics were very good for a studio like United Artists that was wary of an unknown actor leading the film.”
Released in 1976, “Rocky” became one of the biggest success stories in Hollywood history. The film follows up-and-coming Philadelphia boxer Rocky Balboa as he gets a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fight heavyweight champion Apollo Creed.
Sylvester Stallone on the set of his movie, “Rocky II.” (Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
Made on a limited budget, Rocky was a critical favorite and was a favorite, earning 10 Academy Award nominations (including best actor and best original screenplay for Stallone) and winning three Oscars: best picture, best director for John G. Avildsen and best film editing.
“Rocky” went on to launch one of cinema's most successful franchises and cemented Rocky Balboa as one of the most iconic characters in movie history.
Sylvester Stallone became a household name thanks to the “Rocky” franchise. (Getty Images)
Now, Amazon is preparing to release “I Play Rocky” in November. According to reports, Stallone is not involved in the biopic. Speaking to The Playlist, Stallone said, “I was shocked to read [about] it. I have nothing to do with them.”
Ippolito will play Stallone and AnnaSophia Robb will play Sasha Czack, Stallone's first wife. Other actors include: Stephan James, Matt Dillon and PJ Byrne.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS PROGRAM
