Matt Dillon has officially signed on to play Frank Stallone Sr., Sylvester Stallone’s father, in Amazon MGM Studios’ upcoming film I play Rocky, which is a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of one of cinema’s most legendary underdog stories.
The film comes from Peter Farrellythe Oscar-winning director behind it Green bookand stars Antonio Ippolito as the young Sylvester Stallone.
Frank Stallone Sr. was a man full of contrasts. After emigrating to the United States from Italy as a teenager, he became a successful hairdresser and entrepreneur, opening numerous salons and beauty schools throughout the East Coast.
But, behind that hard-working and charismatic character was a complicated and often harsh father figure. In the 2023 Netflix documentary Sly, Stallone recalled: “My father was Rambo actually. Nothing was ever resolved verbally.”
Despite their strained relationship, Stallone always sought his father’s approval, even giving him a small cameo as the timekeeper in the original 1976 classic. Rocky. That emotional tension between ambition, pain and legacy is something I play Rocky it seems ready to explore head-on.
Written by Pietro Giocolothe film is described as “an electrifying true story about an unknown actor with the unshakeable belief that he wasn’t destined just to write Rocky – should have been Rocky Balboa.
The story follows Stallone as he faces rejection after rejection, gambling everything on his dream and refusing to let anyone else play the lead role. It’s the definitive story behind one of cinema’s most iconic underdog films.
The film also features Stefano Giacomo as Carl Weathers, the actor who famously played Apollo Creed, and AnnaSophia Robb as Stallone’s first wife, Sasha Czack.
The project is produced by Toby Emmerich AND Christian Bahawhile FilmNation Entertainment handles production services and international sales.
For Dillon, this role marks a return to the kind of intense, layered drama that earned him an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Agent John Ryan in Accident. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated her range with roles in films such as The outsiders, Rumble fishAND Pharmacy cowboyalso showing his comedic side in hits like There’s something about Mary.
Most recently, Dillon appeared in Wes Anderson’s City of asteroids and the Apple TV+ series High Desert.
by Joey Paur
Source: Geek Tyrant
Lloyd Grunewald is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. He is a talented writer who focuses on bringing the latest entertainment-related news to his readers. With a deep understanding of the entertainment industry and a passion for writing, Lloyd delivers engaging articles that keep his readers informed and entertained.
