Stallone biopic I Play Rocky landed a knockout debut and sparked early awards buzz at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Directed by Academy Award winner Peter Farrelly, the biographical drama wowed the crowd at the Princess of Wales Theatre, earning multiple rounds of applause and a thunderous standing ovation. The film follows the ultimate real-life underdog story of a young, broke, and virtually unknown Sylvester Stallone as he risks everything to write and star in the 1976 classic, Rocky. Critics are calling the movie deeply inspiring and highly entertaining, praising Peter Gamble’s sharp screenplay and the project’s populist, feel-good energy that perfectly captures the spirit of the original franchise.
At the center of the festival buzz is 27-year-old breakout star Anthony Ippolito, whose powerhouse portrayal of Stallone has immediately launched him into the early Oscar conversation. Backed by a stellar supporting cast—including AnnaSophia Robb as Stallone’s first wife Sasha Czack, Matt Dillon, and Jay Duplass as director John G. Avildsen - the film successfully turned early skepticism into rave reviews. Following its triumphant festival launch, Amazon MGM Studios is set to release I Play Rocky in select theaters on November 6, 2026, before expanding nationwide on November 20, just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday box office.
