Sylvester Stallone’s behind-the-scenes documentary, 40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic, that follows and details the 1976 classic Rocky, has been set for a June 9 digital premiere date.
40 Years of Rocky is released by Virgil Film & Entertainment and directed by Derek Wayne Johnson. Stallone pitched the idea for 40 Years of Rocky to Johnson and producer Chris May.
Sylvester Stallone will narrate the documentary which will feature never before seen footage of makeup tests, boxing choreography sessions, and moments between Stallone and co-stars Carl Weathers and Talia Shire.
The filming of the movie, the process of getting it green-lit, and how Stallone preserved his original script and role will all be narrated by Stallone. We’ll also get to see details like the origins behind Rocky’s iconic pork pie hat, which the actor believed “completed” his look and was purchased for $3 in a Philadelphia shop. Stallone was told by studio execs and producers to get rid of the hat because it resembled Gene Hackman’s look in The French Connection.
Johnson said about the film, “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.”
