Stephan James has officially joined the cast of I Play Rocky, Amazon MGM Studios’ upcoming feature that revisits the making of the 1977 Oscar-winning film Rocky. James will star opposite Anthony Ippolito, who is set to play a young Sylvester Stallone.
Directed by Academy Award winner Peter Farrelly, the theatrical release will chronicle Stallone’s uphill battle to not only write Rocky but also to star in it, betting everything on himself despite repeated rejections. Written by Peter Gamble, the film is being billed as the ultimate underdog story behind the ultimate underdog movie.
James will step into the role of Carl Weathers, the former NFL player turned actor who brought Apollo Creed to life in the original Rocky (1976). Creed, the heavyweight champion who first opposed Stallone’s Rocky Balboa, went on to become one of the franchise’s most memorable characters. Weathers reprised the role in three sequels before Apollo’s story ended in Rocky IV. Decades later, his legacy was carried on through Michael B. Jordan, who plays Apollo’s son, Adonis, in the Creed trilogy.
The Rocky franchise, distributed by United Artists and MGM, cemented Stallone as a Hollywood icon. With its sequels and spinoffs, including Creed, the franchise has earned over $1.7 billion worldwide and remains one of the most successful sports sagas in film history.
I Play Rocky will be produced by Toby Emmerich and Christian Baha, with FilmNation Entertainment handling international sales.
James’ casting adds to an already noteworthy run. The actor earned a Golden Globe nomination for Homecoming and drew acclaim in Barry Jenkins’ If Beale Street Could Talk. His recent projects include Ricky, which premiered at Sundance to strong reviews, and Netflix’s sci-fi action film War Machine, where he stars opposite Alan Ritchson.