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New Rocky Documentary Narrated By Sylvester Stallone Lands This Month

New Rocky Documentary Narrated By Sylvester Stallone Lands This Month

The doc will tell the story behind one of the biggest movie franchises ever

Dominic Smithers

Dominic Smithers

Many films come and go, but some stand the test of time. Rocky is certainly in the latter category.

As far as sporting movies go, it's pretty much the original and best. But have you ever wanted to know more about the story behind the film?

Well, a documentary about the 1976 flick is set to be released this month (June), and if that wasn't good enough, it's narrated by Sylvester Stallone.

Written and produced by Derek Wayne Johnson, 40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic takes fans behind the scenes of the iconic movie, using previously unseen footage to explore how Stallone went from a relatively unknown actor to one of the biggest stars on the planet.

In the trailer for the doc, Stallone, 73, says: "You're a very lucky person when you can find out that the best friend you ever had is some character that just popped out of your mind, someone who was always there when things got rough and never quit on me."

Speaking to IndieWire about the doc, Johnson assured fans of the franchise that it's not to be missed.

He told the publication: "The documentary is a golden nugget for Rocky fans and casual audiences alike.

Rocky remains one of the biggest movies of all time.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

"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.

"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."

For those - very few - of you who don't know anything about the Rocky series, it follows small-time Philadelphia boxer Rocky Balboa, who is randomly chosen to take on the reigning world heavyweight champion, Apollo Creed, after his original opponent is injured.

Despite narrowly losing the bout, Rocky is catapulted into the big time, along with his wife Adrian (Talia Shire).

Since the first movie was released, it has been followed by five more, as well as two further spin-offs, Creed (2015) and Creed II (2018).

And this isn't the first time Johnson has delved into the history of Rocky Balboa. The filmmaker had previously directed John G. Avildson: King of the Underdogs, a 2017 movie that told the story of the director behind Rocky and Karate Kid.

He also made a documentary about Stallone's brother, Frank, called Stallone: Frank, That Is.

40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic is set to be available to buy on demand from 8 June.

Featured Image Credit: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer