Teaming up with world champion boxers Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko, Stallone is set to develop the play, which will focus on Rocky Balboa's love life with Adrian Pennino.
- November 22, 2011
AceShowbiz -
Sylvester Stallone is set to give his iconic film "Rocky" a musical treatment. The 65-year-old action star will serve as the producer of "Rocky: The Musical", a song-and-dance take on his Oscar-winning 1976 boxing movie, along with world champion boxing brothers Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko, as well as "The Expendables" producer Kevin King Templeton.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the musical will be premiered at Operettenhaus in Hamburg, Germany in November 2012. In an announcement on Monday, November 21, Stallone opened up that the play will mainly focus on Rocky Balboa's romantic life with Adrian Pennino, a character which was made famous by Talia Shire.
"At the end of the day, Rocky is a love story and he could never have reached the final bell without Adrian," Stallone said of the play, which will be directed by Alex Timbers. "To see this story coming to life on a musical stage makes me proud. And it would make Rocky proud."
No actors have been tapped to star in the play, but Broadway veteran Thomas Meehan has been hired to pen the script. Additionally, composer Stephen Flaherty and Tony-winning lyricist Lynn Ahrens are set to compose the original scores, which include some songs from "Rocky" movies like "Eye of the Tiger", "Gonna Fly Now" and "Take You Back".
"Rocky: The Musical" reportedly cost $15 million to produce. In addition to the German version, Stallone aims to take an English version of the play on the road to stages around the world.
