The Hamptons International Film Festival has locked in its opening night selection, tapping the Sylvester Stallone biopic I Play Rocky to kick off the event, with festival organizers also revealing that filmmakers Phil Lord and Chris Miller will receive a career tribute during this year’s edition. The announcement was shared exclusively ahead of the fest’s full lineup reveal.
Peter Farrelly directs the dramatic film, which chronicles Stallone’s fierce determination to star as the boxer he created, despite studio resistance that nearly crushed the project before it ever reached the screen. The 127-minute feature, slated for a November 6 theatrical release, stars Anthony Ippolito in the lead role, with Stephan James as Carl Weathers, Matt Dillon as Stallone’s father Frank Sr., and AnnaSophia Robb as Sasha Czack. The ensemble also includes P.J. Byrne as producer Irwin Winkler, Jay Duplass as director John Avildsen, Kiki Seto as Talia Shire, and Toby Kebbell as Robert Chartoff.
According to the film’s official synopsis, I Play Rocky tells the “electrifying true story about an unknown actor with an unshakable belief that he wasn't just meant to write Rocky - he was meant to be Rocky Balboa.” The narrative centers on Stallone’s refusal to surrender the role, even when every door closed in his face. Farrelly, known for his knack with both comedy and heartfelt drama, brings a story that hinges on stubborn faith and creative conviction.
The festival’s decision to spotlight Lord and Miller as honorees underscores their steady rise as one of Hollywood’s most versatile creative duos. From their early animation work on Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and The Lego Movie to live-action hits like 21 Jump Street and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, the pair have built a reputation for blending irreverent humor with sharp visual invention. Their upcoming film, Project Hail Mary, based on Andy Weir’s novel, is expected to be among the most talked-about releases later this year.
Bringing Lord and Miller into the fold alongside a Stallone-centric opener gives the Hamptons festival a distinctly mainstream sheen in 2026. The event has long balanced indie discoveries with bigger-ticket premieres, and this year’s opening selection leans into crowd-pleasing territory - a biopic about a pop-culture icon, directed by an Oscar-winning filmmaker, with a cast of rising and established names.
Farrelly’s return to prestige drama after Green Book - which took home the Best Picture Oscar in 2019 - will draw immediate comparisons, though I Play Rocky offers a different kind of underdog tale. Where Green Book explored racial reconciliation through a road trip, this film digs into the personal battle of an actor who refused to compromise his vision. The fact that Stallone himself remains a beloved figure across generations gives the project built-in emotional weight.
Ippolito, who takes on the daunting task of embodying Stallone, faces the challenge of channeling a man whose voice, physicality, and presence are instantly recognizable. Early word from production suggests the actor underwent extensive training to capture the era and intensity of the mid-1970s Stallone. James, coming off strong work in If Beale Street Could Talk and The Underground Railroad, steps into the role of Carl Weathers, the former NFL player who played Apollo Creed - a character whose on-screen rivalry with Balboa became legendary.
The supporting cast rounds out the world around Stallone: Dillon portrays his father, a man whose approval remained elusive; Robb plays Sasha Czack, Stallone’s first wife; Byrne’s Irwin Winkler stands in for the pragmatic studio system that initially balked at casting an unknown in the lead. Duplass’s John Avildsen directed the original Rocky, which went on to win the Best Picture Oscar in 1977. Kebbell appears as Robert Chartoff, the producer who, alongside Winkler, ultimately helped shepherd the film into existence.
Narrative details beyond the synopsis remain under wraps, but the story’s arc is well-known cinematic lore: Stallone wrote the script in three days after watching a Muhammad Ali fight, then faced repeated rejections from studios that wanted a bankable star. He turned down lucrative offers to sell the screenplay without himself attached. The gamble paid off - both the film and its star became cultural landmarks, spawning a franchise that stretched across decades.
For the Hamptons festival, setting I Play Rocky as the opening attraction signals confidence in a film designed for broad appeal, and Lord and Miller’s honor adds another layer of star power to the 2026 edition. The event, which runs later this fall, has yet to announce the full slate of films, but the opener alone gives attendees a reason to mark their calendars.
The festival’s decision to pair a classic underdog story with a tribute to two filmmakers who have consistently subverted expectations feels fitting. Lord and Miller built their careers on taking familiar genres and turning them inside out, much like the film at the center of this year’s opener did for the sports drama nearly half a century ago.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
