Veteran action star Sylvester Stallone has narrated a documentary about his boxing drama series “Rocky”. Titled “40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic”, the documentary has been written and directed by Derek Wayne Johnson. It will be digitally released on June 9 in the US.
The film chronicles the making of the first film, 1976’s “Rocky”, through rare home footage filmed by director John G Avildsen, reported Variety.
“The documentary is a golden nugget for ‘Rocky’ fans and casual audiences alike. It’s a charming piece of film history narrated by Rocky himself, Sylvester Stallone, and will give audiences an intimate, and at times, emotional experience.
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“We’re proud of the film, and audiences can expect new stories and new footage that they’ve never seen before in a blend of director John Avildsen’s home movies, rehearsal footage and behind-the-scenes footage from the making of the ultimate underdog film,” Johnson said in a statement.
In “Rocky”, Stallone had starred as Rocky Balboa, the eponymous southpaw boxer from Philadelphia. Upon its release, the movie had amassed critical acclaim and was a commercial success.
At the 49th Academy Awards in 1977, “Rocky” had surprisingly picked up three trophies, including Best Picture and Best Director.
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Over the years, the film spawned five sequels: “Rocky II” (1979), “Rocky III” (1982), “Rocky IV” (1985), “Rocky V” (1990) and “Rocky Balboa” (2006) — as well as two spinoffs: “Creed” (2015), and “Creed II” (2018).