Making ‘I Play Rocky’ Felt Like A Throwback To 1976 For The Creators – Contenders L.A.

The creators of *I Play Rocky* said making the film meant recreating the spirit of 1976, when Sylvester Stallone fought to get *Rocky* made. Actor Anthony Ippolito researched Stallone’s experience, trained in boxing and later spoke with him directly, while director Peter Farrelly described the production as a difficult, repeatedly threatened undertaking.

Farrelly said the film took a year and a half to get made and fell apart three times; a reduced budget meant it was shot in 34 days, compared with 28 days for the original *Rocky*. Writer Peter Gamble said Stallone’s reported three-day screenplay sprint inspired him to draft *I Play Rocky* quickly, changing his approach to writing and revision.