The upcoming biopic I Play Rocky has finally cast the actor who will play the coveted role of the late actor Carl Weathers opposite Anthony Ippolito as Sylvester Stallone.
Green Book director Peter Farrelly is currently working on a film that will explore the making of the iconic sports movie Rocky and the rise of Stallone as he created the character that turned him into one of the biggest movie stars of all time. While Stallone is not involved in the project, there is still a lot of anticipation from fans on how it will tackle the inspiring true story.
Who is Playing Carl Weathers in I Play Rocky?
Deadline confirmed that If Beale Street Could Talk star Stephan James has been cast to play Carl Weathers in the I Play Rocky biopic.
As fans know, the late actor was Stallone's co-star in the first Rocky film and the subsequent installments, where he played the role of Apollo Creed. It ended up being the most iconic role in his career, and, similar to Stallone, he became a well-known star after the film's release.
James will be joining Ippolito, who was cast to play Stallone. So far, no further actors have been cast to play the other real-life figures who will be featured in the story.
In response to his casting, James posted the announcement on his Instagram page and wrote in the caption, "Walk Down." A lot of fans in the comments are already showing support for his involvement.
So far, Weathers' family has not responded to James' casting as the late actor or addressed whether they were consulted in the project.
What is I Play Rocky About?
I Play Rocky will explore the origins and the making of Rocky through the eyes of young Stallone, who was an unknown actor at that time.
The now-movie icon had an "unshakable belief that he wasn’t just meant to write Rocky—he was meant to be Rocky Balboa. Told 'no at every turn, 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."
The project is under Amazon MGM Studios, which is planning a theatrical release. No release date has been set yet.
Stallone recently weighed in on the making of the movie and the casting of Ippolito as him. "I was shocked to read [about] it. I have zero to do with it. Since I lived it, I thought I might be able to participate and give them some insight," he said.
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