Production Notes
Nearly seven-years in the making, Rocky Balboa is engineered to bring the Balboa saga full-circle. Written by Sylvester Stallone in 1999, this sixth and final installment of the series had a long and tedious journey through the studio system before finally being greenlighted in 2005.
Glimpses of Stallone’s screenplay were sporadically released during 2004 in his unique fitness magazine for men aptly titled “Sly”, and fans were treated to dialogue and artwork exclusive to each issue. It was within these script segments that the masses discovered the heartbreaking news that Rocky’s beloved wife Adrian has passed away.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Columbia Pictures and Revolution Studios are set to produce the film while Columbia will distribute it to theatres worldwide sometime in the latter half of 2006. While commonly referred to as Rocky VI, this film’s official title is Rocky Balboa, a name that is meant to encapsulate the entire story rather than just creating yet another sequel. Indeed, Rocky Balboa should turn out to be a stand-alone film, much like the 1976 original.
The key members of the entire series will return one last time: Stallone, Burt Young as the gruff but loveable Paulie, and in November, 2005, it was learned that Talia Shire will be returning to reprise her role, this time in flashback. It was expected that Stallone’s son, Sage, who took on the role of Rocky Balboa, Jr. in 1990′s Rocky V, would make a comeback, but an announcement was made that 28-year-old actor and television star Milo Ventimiglia would take up where Sage left off. In addition, Mr. T will make an appearance as Clubber Lang – now a ringside commentator.
Promotional photography sessions featuring Stallone were held on October 28, 2005 and less than a week later, co-star Antonio Tarver met Sly in the virtual ring when motion capture work was produced for the film at the Oscar-nominated Blur Studios in Venice, California. These sequences will be used for the virtual match between the two men as it will appear in the film on an ESPN broadcast.
The filming, which is on a tight schedule of 38 days, begins during the second week of December, 2005. Shooting of the major boxing scenes will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino. Casting company Be In A Movie set out in November to wrangle thousands of Rocky fans to stand-in as extras in the crowd scenes to be shot there – it is sure to be a once in a lifetime experience.
In January, 2006, the production crew will re-locate to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to complete the majority of the filming before heading back to Los Angeles. In early November, 2005, Sylvester Stallone and brother Frank journeyed to Philly to scout locations and according to Sly, Rocky will: “go back and revisit all the places that were very emotional – the pet shop, the streets, the church he got married in, the ice-skating rink – and how things have changed but he hasn’t,” Stallone says. “And then he realizes that he has to move on.”
Confirmed locations in Philly include the Italian Market, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the façade of Mighty Mick’s Gym, J&M Tropical Fish and St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic church.
Rocky Balboa is set to be produced on a very tight budget, especially by today’s Hollywood standards: $24-Million.
On February 19, 2007, Rocky Balboa is evidently going to be released on DVD in a special 30th Anniversary box set including the entire series.
Nearly seven-years in the making, Rocky Balboa is engineered to bring the Balboa saga full-circle. Written by Sylvester Stallone in 1999, this sixth and final installment of the series had a long and tedious journey through the studio system before finally being greenlighted in 2005.Glimpses of Stallone’s screenplay were sporadically released during 2004 in his unique fitness magazine for men aptly titled “Sly”, and fans were treated to dialogue and artwork exclusive to each issue. It was within these script segments that the masses discovered the heartbreaking news that Rocky’s beloved wife Adrian has passed away.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Columbia Pictures and Revolution Studios are set to produce the film while Columbia will distribute it to theatres worldwide sometime in the latter half of 2006. While commonly referred to as Rocky VI, this film’s official title is Rocky Balboa, a name that is meant to encapsulate the entire story rather than just creating yet another sequel. Indeed, Rocky Balboa should turn out to be a stand-alone film, much like the 1976 original.
The key members of the entire series will return one last time: Stallone, Burt Young as the gruff but loveable Paulie, and in November, 2005, it was learned that Talia Shire will be returning to reprise her role, this time in flashback. It was expected that Stallone’s son, Sage, who took on the role of Rocky Balboa, Jr. in 1990′s Rocky V, would make a comeback, but an announcement was made that 28-year-old actor and television star Milo Ventimiglia would take up where Sage left off. In addition, Mr. T will make an appearance as Clubber Lang – now a ringside commentator.
Promotional photography sessions featuring Stallone were held on October 28, 2005 and less than a week later, co-star Antonio Tarver met Sly in the virtual ring when motion capture work was produced for the film at the Oscar-nominated Blur Studios in Venice, California. These sequences will be used for the virtual match between the two men as it will appear in the film on an ESPN broadcast.
The filming, which is on a tight schedule of 38 days, begins during the second week of December, 2005. Shooting of the major boxing scenes will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino. Casting company Be In A Movie set out in November to wrangle thousands of Rocky fans to stand-in as extras in the crowd scenes to be shot there – it is sure to be a once in a lifetime experience.
In January, 2006, the production crew will re-locate to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to complete the majority of the filming before heading back to Los Angeles. In early November, 2005, Sylvester Stallone and brother Frank journeyed to Philly to scout locations and according to Sly, Rocky will: “go back and revisit all the places that were very emotional – the pet shop, the streets, the church he got married in, the ice-skating rink – and how things have changed but he hasn’t,” Stallone says. “And then he realizes that he has to move on.”
Confirmed locations in Philly include the Italian Market, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the façade of Mighty Mick’s Gym, J&M Tropical Fish and St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic church.
Rocky Balboa is set to be produced on a very tight budget, especially by today’s Hollywood standards: $24-Million.
