For fans of the classic boxing film series Rocky, it was a significant announcement…and I can’t say I’m surprised…I did mention that “Hollywood” would embrace musicals this year.
So, it feels fitting that Sylvester Stallone, the film’s small creator and star, found himself overshadowed by the heavyweight boxing champions of the world as he announced its adaptation into a musical.
Stallone took photos with the towering Klitschko brothers while unveiling that the show is set to debut in Hamburg, Germany, in November 2012.
While the announcement was thrilling in itself, added intrigue came from a series of promotional images for the upcoming production.
Despite his official biography listing Rambo’s height at 5′ 9.5″, many believe he is actually around 5′ 7″ or even 5′ 6″ in reality.
His latest public appearance provided more support for those who think he’s shorter, showcased in photos designed to obscure his height.
Some even argue that the outdoor photos, cropped at the legs, give the impression he might be using a box, similar to jockey Willie Carson’s trick.
Nonetheless, pictures taken at the Operettenhaus theatre in the city, showing the Ukrainian stars positioned a few rows behind Stallone to mask the height difference, were especially conspicuous.
No doubt that standing beside these towering Eastern Europeans brought back memories for Sly from the fourth film in the series, where Rocky Balboa faced off against the giant Ivan Drago.
Even if Stallone’s biography holds true, he still falls short when compared to the boxing brothers.
Vitali, the elder brother, stands at 6′ 7″, and his younger sibling Wladimir reaches an impressive 6′ 6″.
Both brothers collectively hold all the heavyweight division’s belts, with Wladimir completing their collection by defeating David Haye in July to claim his WBA title.
The brothers are involved in producing the show and will also train its lead actor to enhance his performance on stage.
However, Sylvester mentioned that he would also be actively engaged in preparing the musical’s star.
He stated, “I believe I can assist the future star in learning Rocky’s body language and developing an understanding of his character.”
‘Boxers are always tense, always moving, and each fighter has unique traits.’
During the press conference, Sly shared that he had long dreamed of adapting his Oscar-winning film into a stage production.
He expressed, ‘I’ve always believed Rocky had the potential for a musical and have wished to pursue it for a long time.’
The 65-year-old action icon stated he wants the show to emphasize the romance between Rocky Balboa and his future wife Adrian, following the model of Broadway’s Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark.
Lynn Ahrens, the Tony Award-winning songwriter, along with composer Stephen Flaherty, will create the musical score, featuring the film’s iconic “Gonna Fly Now” and Survivor’s hit “Eye of the Tiger.”
As of September 2011, the German-based boxing stars boast a combined professional boxing record of 99 wins and 5 defeats, with Vitali holding the highest knockout ratio in history.
In addition to his leading role in the franchise, the talented Sylvester not only crafted the story but also directed four of the six films in the series.
This series has achieved one of the highest box office revenues in cinematic history, surpassing $1.25 billion globally.
And he shows no signs of slowing down—he’s just wrapped up filming for the action film The Expendables alongside fellow action legends Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis.
by Helena Bryanlith
