Stallone to star in sixth Rocky movie
Showbiz Desk

LOS ANGELES—Hollywood heavyweight Sylvester Stallone will reprise his role as a working-class boxing champ in a sixth “Rocky” movie, the iconic role that propelled him to fame 30 years ago, he said. Stallone, now 59, will also direct, write and co-produce “Rocky Balboa,” the latest in the winning series launched with the Oscar-winning “Rocky” in 1976, Stallone’s spokeswoman and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios said.
“‘Rocky Balboa’ is about everybody who feels they want to participate in the race of life, rather than be a bystander,” Stallone said in a statement. “You’re never too old to climb a mountain, if that’s your desire.” “Rocky Balboa” will pick up the saga of ageing boxer Rocky Balboa when, years after his retirement, he is reluctantly drawn back to the boxing ring one last time following the death of his wife.
He is challenged not only by a powerful new champion but also by his own personal woes. “It’s all very exciting,” Michelle Bega, the spokeswoman for the star who won Academy Award nominations for starring in and writing “Rocky,” told newsmen. The movie will begin filming in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Las Vegas, Nevada, early next year, according to MGM and co-producers Revolution Studios.
The tough and tenacious Rocky became an iconic movie character in the 1970s as he overcame professional and personal challenges to win a bout with a heavyweight champion. “It’s going great — there’s a lot of heart in it,” Stallone told the syndicated television entertainment show in an interview to be broadcast Tuesday.
“Rocky is basically on his own — it’s very touching. People that were in the first one that you didn’t think much about are back, really minor characters are now major characters.” MGM, which is in the process of relaunching itself following its purchase last year by Japan’s Sony Pictures, said “Rocky” has never lost his cachet.
“We’re convinced the Rocky franchise is as strong as ever, with a whole new generation of filmgoers ready to be introduced and an established fan base eager to be reacquainted with this iconic character,” said MGM president Dan Taylor. “We felt it was the perfect first film to be green lit under the ‘new’ MGM,” he said.
The “Rocky” franchise has raked in 495 million dollars in North America alone over the past 29 years and remains the signature role of “Rambo” star Stallone. “In many ways, the screenplay really took me back to the original ‘Rocky,’” said Revolution Studios founder Joe Roth. “As a past champion, Rocky Balboa is once again a regular guy who has to find himself and deal with real life. This film brings Rocky’s story full-circle,” he added.
Stallone told industry bible Daily Variety the project had been gestating for years but “there was a reluctance to go forward until everyone felt there was a script that echoed the kind of sincerity and values the first one had, and had some poignancy like the first one had.” “Rocky III” in 1982 was marked by the rousing tune of “Eye of the Tiger” written by composer Bill Conti, who will also write the music for “Rocky Balboa,” according to Variety.
The former “Italian Stallion” Stallone has not been seen on the screen since 2003’s “Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over”. The New York-born actor is also working on a sequel to his other hit film series, “Rambo IV,” which is set for release next year. Rocky’s sixth screen outing will be co-produced by Charles Winkler, William Chartoff, David Winkler and Kevin King, while original “Rocky” producers Robert Chartoff and Irwin Winkler are to be executive producers, according to Daily Variety.