Sylvester Stallone has finished writing a new Rocky sequel. The 80-year-old actor and creator of the franchise confirmed the script is complete in an interview with TV Insider published on October 23, 2026. The story is written, but Stallone is not sure it will ever become a film. He also shared a separate idea for a Rocky prequel set in the 1960s. The news lands just weeks before the 50th anniversary of the original Rocky film on November 20, 2026.
What Stallone Said About the New Script
Stallone told TV Insider that he approached the project as a personal writing exercise. He does not know if audiences would connect with the story he wrote.
“I have written another chapter to the Rocky saga, and I think it would be a good opportunity to explore life outside the ring and how the world is changing around him and how his neighborhood is not like it once was, and he devotes himself to the less fortunate, but I don’t know if it would really be that interesting to most people. So, I just wrote it for myself.” — Sylvester Stallone
The script moves Rocky away from boxing. The focus is on his neighborhood, the people around him, and his effort to help those with less. Stallone did not name a studio, a director, or a release plan for the project.
The Prequel Idea: Rocky at Sixteen
Alongside the sequel script, Stallone described a prequel that would show Rocky’s early life. The story would begin when Rocky is 16 years old and explore the social changes of the 1960s.
“There might be an opportunity for a prequel because I believe it’s fascinating to watch where these individual characters came from and I have many ideas of how their paths crossed. During that particular period in time, the 1960s, there was a great transition happening in the country and in music and many other elements of society, so I would love to do that project.” — Sylvester Stallone
Stallone gave more detail to Entertainment Weekly about the prequel’s characters. The story would include Rocky’s father, his mother, and his half-brother. It would also show how Rocky knew Adrian and Paulie for a decade before the first film, and how Mickey was a struggling trainer at 31.
Why the Script Exists Without a Green Light
Stallone has not owned the rights to the Rocky franchise for years. He has been open about his frustration with producer Irwin Winkler, who controls the rights. Stallone did not appear in Creed III and has said he would only return for Creed IV if Winkler is not involved.
Amazon MGM Studios now owns the Rocky library after its purchase of MGM. Stallone’s Balboa Productions renewed a first-look deal with Amazon MGM in October 2026, and the two sides are working on anniversary projects. A finished script from Stallone gives Amazon a ready-made option, but no production deal has been announced.
The 50th Anniversary and I Play Rocky
Rocky opened in theatres on November 21, 1976. The anniversary celebration includes a remastered 4K theatrical run from November 7 to 11, 2026, and Rocky In Concert events with live orchestras in several cities.
The biopic I Play Rocky tells the story of Stallone’s struggle to get the original film made. Anthony Ippolito plays the young Stallone. The film opens in limited theatres on November 13, 2026, and expands nationwide on November 20, 2026 — the anniversary weekend.
Stallone is not officially involved in I Play Rocky, but he supported the project after the first trailer arrived. He told Entertainment Weekly that director Peter Farrelly convinced him the behind-the-scenes story was worth telling.
“Peter Farrelly goes, ‘This is a great story,’ and I said, ‘No, it’s not.’ He goes, ‘Sly, I like it better than the Rocky movie.’ I said, ‘Why?’ He goes, ‘Because this actually happened — that didn’t.’” — Sylvester Stallone
Where Rocky Balboa Last Appeared
Stallone last played Rocky Balboa in Creed II in 2018. The character’s story in the Creed series ended with him reconnecting with his son Robert Jr. and meeting his grandson in Vancouver. Rocky Balboa (2006) was the last film where Stallone led a solo Rocky story.
The Creed universe continues without him. Michael B. Jordan is developing Creed IV and a Creed spinoff series for Amazon Prime Video. Stallone’s return to that franchise remains unresolved because of the Winkler dispute.
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Release Information for the Anniversary Projects
Rocky 4K remaster: In theatres November 7 to 11, 2026, in the USA through Fathom Entertainment. International dates vary by market.
I Play Rocky: Limited release on November 13, 2026, in the USA, UK, Canada, and Australia. Nationwide release in the USA on November 20, 2026. India release details have not been confirmed by Amazon MGM. Global rollout follows the Amazon MGM international schedule.
Rocky In Concert: November 20, 2026, at the Florida Theatre in Jacksonville, with Bill Conti‘s score performed live.
The new Rocky sequel script and the prequel idea remain unproduced. No release dates exist for either project.
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