Rocky pretty much came out of nowhere and made a star out of Sylvester Stallone overnight, marking an incredible moment in 70’s pop culture history.
Sure, it’s easy to under-estimate Stallone today, but back in the mid-seventies he was one of hottest actors around, and made an enormous bet with Rocky. The legend went he wrote the script so he could star in it, and refused to sell the script unless he got the title role, even though he was dead broke, and needed the money worse than air.
Rocky made over $100 million, launched five sequels, and brought in a new era of feel good movies in the 70’s, when previous films that decade were much darker in the wake of the disillusionment at the end of the 60’s.
Stallone brought Rocky back in 2006 partially because Rocky 5 was dreadful, and he wanted the film series to cap off properly. Yet this may not be the end of Rocky, because now the news has hit there may soon be Rocky the musical.
I first read the news on Slash Film, and as they report, it’s an idea that’s “so crazy it just might work.” Thankfully, Stallone won’t be signing and dancing in it, because Stallone fans may recall he’s done some of that before in the cinematic stink bomb Rhinestone, and on the Muppet Show. Stallone will produce the musical, and it will include the legendary Rocky anthems “Gonna Fly Now,” and “Eye of the Tiger.”
Sly told The Hollywood Reporter the musical will focus more on the romance of the Rocky story with Adrian because “he could never had reached the final bell without [her].”
Funny enough, considering Rocky was an all-American hero, the show will debut in Germany in November 2012 before heading over to our shores.
