Amazon MGM Studios has released the first official trailer for I Play Rocky, an upcoming biographical drama that dramatizes Sylvester Stallone’s relentless struggle to get the 1976 classic Rocky made on his own terms.

Directed by Academy Award winner Peter Farrelly, the film captures the real-life hustle of an unknown, struggling actor who wrote a career-defining script and refused to sell it unless studio executives let him star in the title role.

Starring Anthony Ippolito as a young Sylvester Stallone, I Play Rocky centers on Stallone’s unshakable self-belief despite facing constant rejection from Hollywood gatekeepers. Broke and under immense financial pressure, Stallone’s refusal to surrender the lead role became an underdog tale in its own right, one that ultimately led to Rocky winning Best Picture at the Academy Awards and launching a billion-dollar franchise.

The newly released trailer showcases Ippolito’s transformation into Stallone, capturing the raw emotion, intense studio battles, and physical preparation required to bring Rocky Balboa to life. As Ippolito’s Stallone says in the footage:

“This movie is about having a belief in yourself. It’s about going the distance. I put my heart and soul on the page. If I’m not willing to live up to what I wrote, then what’s the point?”

Joining Ippolito in the behind-the-scenes drama is a supporting cast portraying key figures in Stallone’s life and the creation of the film. Stephan James stars as Carl Weathers, the actor who brought Apollo Creed to life, while AnnaSophia Robb plays Stallone’s first wife, Sasha Czack. The ensemble also features Matt Dillon as Frank Stallone Sr. and Toby Kebbell as producer Robert Chartoff, with Tracy Letts, Jay Duplass, and P.J. Byrne.

I Play Rocky will hit theaters on November 6. Check out the trailer below.