I Play Rocky simply proved it could possibly go the gap with the Rocky franchise, however one traditional nonetheless holds the belt. The biopic’s Rotten Tomatoes rating reveals precisely the place it stands towards all six unique Rocky movies and the outcomes might shock you.
I Play Rocky will get respectable Rotten Tomatoes rating
I Play Rocky at present holds a 75% Tomatometer rating on Rotten Tomatoes, primarily based on 20 critic opinions. The Peter Farrelly-directed biopic stars Anthony Ippolito as Sylvester Stallone and opens in restricted launch on Nov. 13, 2026.
Hollywood Reporter critic David Rooney praised the lead efficiency. “The component that holds the film collectively is Ippolito, who nails the garbled, rumbling diction, hangdog expression and hulking physicality of Stallone,” he wrote. Selection’s Owen Gleiberman additionally responded positively. He famous that the movie “understands the karmic method by which the story of ‘Rocky’ was echoed within the saga of how Stallone obtained the film off the bottom.”
How I Play Rocky’s Rotten Tomatoes rating compars to previous Rocky films
Notably, the 75% rating locations I Play Rocky above 4 entries in the principle Rocky franchise. It trails solely the unique Rocky and 2006’s Rocky Balboa in essential reception. Right here is how all six unique Rocky movies scored on Rotten Tomatoes:
- Rocky (1976) – 93%
- Rocky II (1979) – 68%
- Rocky III (1982) – 66%
- Rocky IV (1985) – 38%
- Rocky V (1990) – 31%
- Rocky Balboa (2006) – 78%
Unsurprisingly, the unique 1976 movie stays the franchise’s essential peak with a Licensed Recent 93%. Moreover, Rocky Balboa earned a Licensed Recent 78% upon its launch. In the meantime, Rocky V sits on the backside with a Rotten 31% rating.
In consequence, I Play Rocky outperforms the second, third, fourth, and fifth installments. Nonetheless, it nonetheless falls wanting the franchise’s two highest-rated entries. In the end, the movie tells the story behind Stallone’s battle to star in his personal screenplay towards studio resistance.
