Much like the current 007 news/rumors, the whole Rocky VI thing has been somewhat suspect to me. Despite having publicly unveiled storyboards and even portions of the film’s script in his own Sly magazine (read Nick’s take on that and more in his old pool of piss right here), this whole thing just seemed more like a vapor-film than anything else to me. Was it really gonna happen? Was it just fluff to help promote Stallone’s The Contender? I didn’t know. Mason Dixon didn’t know. We were both confused.
Well now, the confusion can be laid to rest. According to Production Weekly, all systems on the ever gestating boxing film are apparently (and suddenly) ready to go. Sly will both star and direct Rocky VI which is currently scheduled to start lensing here in Los Angeles in early December. THIS December. Like, less than a couple of months from now. That’s crazy.
Here’s the rundown: "Lonely and at loose ends, retired boxer Rocky Balboa comes out of retirement, intending to fight a few low-profile local fights just to keep his hand in. But when he’s approached to fight a match with reigning heavyweight champ Mason "The Line" Dixon, Rocky’s modest little comeback becomes the center of a media firestorm." I hope at some point during his retirement he attempted to invent some sort of handy-dandy cookware. A Rocky Hibachi, perhaps? I can only hope.
What else does Stallone have cooking? Well, he has Notorious – the story of Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls’ murders and the LAPD corruption scandal behind it – which he’s scripting, directing, and starring in, as well as the Edgar Allen Poe film naturally entitled, Poe (read Dave’s news bit on that right here). I guess they’ll all just be introduced to the backburner until Rocky VI is complete… unless, of course, this dissolves into thin air. Hey, crazier things have happend! I hope not, though. Poor guy’s been aching to make this. Let’s just hope it turns out better than Rocky V.
Realize that we’re now one step closer to Rocky VII: Adrian’s Revenge on our message boards!