138 replies to this topic

[zencat]

You know, I was just thinking this morning how I liked that they are calling this movie Rocky Balboa instead of ROCKY VI...and then today I see what appears to be the teaser poster. I have to say, I really don't ike this poster. With the title change, the America flag, and Rocky victory pose, it just looks like another bad Rocky sequel.

[zencat]

Never mind. That poster has got to be a fake. It's not on the official site -- which shows the movie is still called ROCKY BALBOA. Good.

[Loomis]

Yeah, I've seen a couple of fan posters for "ROCKY VI" here and there on the net.

Re: the title, I think they were originally planning to call the film ROCKY VI, judging by this page in "Sly", which I gather is a US lifestyle magazine bankrolled by Stallone. I believe the mag carried excerpts from the script a while back:

http://www.cinemaemc...ws/rocky602.jpg

So why aren't they now calling it ROCKY VI? Well, frankly, because that would make the whole thing look like a joke (in fact, I think it's a joke in AIRPLANE II, with a poster for ROCKY XXXV or something in the background during one scene, showing a wizened old man wearing boxing gloves):

http://www.voccoquan...es/rocky vI.JPG

Personally, as a fan of the series, I wish they were still using the ROCKY VI title, but I can certainly understand why they'd shy away from it.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Sony, Stallone and co. appear to be doing an absolutely terrific job (via the official site, interviews, etc.) of creating fan and public goodwill for ROCKY BALBOA and generally promoting the heck out of the film at a very early stage (the release date is a couple of months after that of CASINO ROYALE). Perhaps the Bond people could take some lessons?

[DanMan]

I hope there's a training montage with the theme in backround. Those are always the best part of the Rocky movies.

[Agent 76]

Mr Stallone is a man of work.

[Scottlee]

I hope there's a training montage with the theme in backround. Those are always the best part of the Rocky movies.

I'd never considered this before. Oh I will just die laughing if Rocky repeats this sequence in 2006. Please please let it happen!

[stamper]

One good thing about this sequel : the same actor is playing Rocky ! No discussion about hair color, or height with or without heels etc... go Stallone !

[Agent 76]

do you think this one will begin with the eye of the tiger music like the others ?

[1q2w3e4r]

That's only in 1 film

[Loomis]

Well, they used "Eye of the Tiger" in ROCKY IV as well as ROCKY III, but I doubt they'll dredge it up again for ROCKY BALBOA, even though it's the franchise's trademark song, because it would risk seeming very self-parodic, and ROCKY BALBOA is in danger of inviting enough ridicule as it is. But I wouldn't be too surprised if they used it for the trailers, just not the actual film.

I really hope Bill Conti returns for the score. Like Bond without Barry, it just wouldn't be the same without him.

[Agent 76]

I really hope Bill Conti returns for the score. Like Bond without Barry, it just wouldn't be the same without him.

agreed.

[Loomis]

I really hope Bill Conti returns for the score. Like Bond without Barry, it just wouldn't be the same without him.

agreed.

ROCKY (1976) is an excellent film, with a superb script, magnificent performances, etc., etc., but if I had to isolate the one element that really makes it "work" I'd have to cite Conti's score.

BTW, according to the IMDb (not always the most reliable of sources, admittedly), Spider Rico will indeed be returning in ROCKY BALBOA!!!!!!!!

[Harmsway]

There's a new script review from AICN:

http://www.aintitcoo...ay.cgi?id=22576

[Tarl_Cabot]

From the script review:

"You have to be true to the franchise and basically the idiots that make up Middle America like their stories simple and spoon-fed to them."

That's just the type of attitude and snobery that results in trash like Tango And Cash and XXX and even Die Another Day. I really resent that comment which supposes that the only inteligent people in the USA live in NY or SF. What a wanker.

[Loomis]

Weird review. Can't work out whether he likes it or not. He seems to be simultaneously slagging it and praising it.

So Rocky owns a Philadelphia restaurant and basically every night people want to hear Apollo Creed stories. I, myself, would rather hear Mr.T stories because that was a better movie, but that's another story.

ROCKY III is a much better film than ROCKYs IV and V, but how on earth is it superior to I and II?

Anyway, I wonder what this supposedly amazing final shot could be. Rocky standing triumphant in the ring after his fight with Mason Dixon, with Paulie and Rocky, Jr. around him, and then suddenly Rocky murmurs to himself "Yo, Adrian, I did it", and a smiling Adrian appears beside him in ghost form, possibly along with Mickey and Apollo, a la Annakin and Obi-Wan at the end of RETURN OF THE JEDI? I can't think of what else it might be (I mean, I imagine it references the franchise's golden days in some way or another), and this might actually tie in with reports that,

Spoiler

while her character is dead, Talia Shire has nonetheless shot footage for this movie

, although to me it sounds incredibly silly, not incredibly cool.

As for the closing credits sequence, I read at an apparently reliable source (the website of a Philadelphia paper) that it will feature citizens of Philly who turned up to watch the shooting of ROCKY BALBOA doing Rocky impressions!!!!!!!! I kid you not. Gotta get some comedy in there, I guess (intentional comedy, that is ). I really hope Stallone knows what he's doing, but I'm sure he does, and no way will this not be better than the awful ROCKY V.

[Scottlee]

Good stuff.

There's a similarity here with Die Another Day, which was such a poor Bond film (measured against the standards of the others) that it's hard to imagine CR not being at least a improvement on it.

It's the same with this Rocky 6 sequal. It'll almost certainly be better than Rocky 5. And being a fan of both franchises I can't help but look forward to both new films as a result of this.

[Tarl_Cabot]

The teaser is up at AICN but the link is broken.

[Agent 76]

The teaser is up at AICN but the link is broken.

you can view it on comingsoon.net

[Loomis]

The teaser is up at AICN but the link is broken.

you can view it on comingsoon.net

Dunno what to make of this. Good teaser trailer concept (a Rocky sequel as directed by Scorsese, apparently), but will it actually get people into cinemas? I guess every former "popcorn" franchise from Bond to MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE has to be a gritfest nowadays, but I hope there'll be a sense of fun about this flick, and not just "seriousness, seriousness, seriousness".

Typical fanboy, eh? Bitching already! Nah, this trailer's got me geeked!

But is it the genuine article? I read the suggestion somewhere online that the dialogue comes from Sly's boxing reality TV show "The Contender" (I mean, what's this stuff about "What did you say to the kid....?"? - OTOH, maybe the ROCKY BALBOA script explains that). Also, there are no studio logos (which seems odd), no MPAA rating.... But the shot of Stallone seems totally legit. Hmmm....

I've got it: it's the real deal, but unfinished. Someone put it up early by mistake, which is why it was pulled from Stallone's official site, so that studio logos, etc. could be added. That must be it.

Anyway, cool.

[Seannery]

Loomis i'm actually optimistic that this Rocky will be the first good one since Rocky 3. It doesn't seem to be overly smaltzy like 5 or ridiculously hyped up on steroids like 4.

[Loomis]

It doesn't seem to be overly smaltzy like 5 or ridiculously hyped up on steroids like 4.

Yeah. Impossible to tell how trustworthy this is, of course, but "advance word" suggests that ROCKY BALBOA (which is apparently in the can and in postproduction already - not bad considering they only started shooting in December) is surprisingly good, and has the feel of the first two films. And it looks as though they may be moving the release date forward from February to December.

Very surprising that they didn't use Bill Conti's famous Rocky theme in this teaser, but perhaps they're planning to add it.

OTOH, what we have at the moment definitely makes ROCKY BALBOA look a more sophisticated and tasteful piece of work than IV or V. Which is nice.

[zencat]

Early teaser trailer (may not be official -- but may have been leaked by the Sly one himself). Looks good.

http://www.joblo.com...ex.php?id=10554

[Donovan]

I have a feeling that this film will result in the following conflict within the depths of my soul:

"I sense great vulnerability. A man-child crying out for love. An innocent orphan in the post-modern world."

"I see a parasite. A sexually depraved miscreant who is seeking only to gratify his basest and most immediate urges."

"His struggle is man's struggle. He lifts my spirit."

"He is a loathesome, offensive brute. Yet...I can't look away."

"He transcends time and space."

"He sickens me."

"I love it."

"Me too."

[Loomis]

Early teaser trailer (may not be official -- but may have been leaked by the Sly one himself). Looks good.

http://www.joblo.com...ex.php?id=10554

Yeah, Agent 76 gave directions to it a few posts back. The link from JoBlo didn't used to work.... but I see it does now, so it's all good.

Perhaps it's no coincidence that this appeared around the time of the Oscars, 'cause this trailer looks more appropriate for a MILLION DOLLAR BABY-type film than for a Rocky film (although the first Rocky did, let's not forget, win Best Picture way back when MDB was but a gleam in someone's eye).

I think "the kid" Rocky refers to may be (MAJOR SPOILERS)

Spoiler

the son of his new girlfriend (Marie from the first film?)

.

Also, I wouldn't be surprised if ROCKY BALBOA made explicit references only to ROCKY and ROCKY II (I'm getting the impression that Mr. T's rumoured cameo didn't actually end up happening), leaving the viewer free to disregard the other sequels (which are mostly sub-par). This would chime with other examples of highly selective continuity in franchises that went right down the tubes at one point: for instance, Bryan Singer's upcoming Superman film is said to airbrush III and THE QUEST FOR PEACE out of history, while the director of HALLOWEEN H20 apparently worked according to the idea that only the events of HALLOWEEN had taken place (or was it HALLOWEEN and HALLOWEEN II? I forget).

[Tarl_Cabot]

Yikes.That's not Rocky.He's not a philospher! Or a motivational speaker!




But hey, If I can change, and you can change, then everybody can change!

[Loomis]

A new clip is up at http://www.rockybalb...k_out_an_ex.php (and currently being discussed on AICN).

ROCKY GOES RESERVOIR DOGS!

[Agent 76]

ROCKY GOES RESERVOIR DOGS!

good one.

I've watched the clip, and it looks pretty good.

Stallone is doing a nice job.

[Loomis]

I've watched the clip, and it looks pretty good.

Stallone is doing a nice job.

Yeah, it's clear that he's putting some real effort into this one. Very cool stuff.

[Johnboy007]

I'm glad they actually filmed scenes in Philadelphia and not just location shots like in Cold Case. The building in the picture Agent76 posted looks familiar and I imagine that SEPTA doesn't mind the free publicity.

They're moving his statue to a new location, now that the Spectrum is being torn down. I hope they put it at the top of the art museum, that's where it belongs.

[Agent 76]

I'm curious to see what will Mr Stallone do with his next project after Rocky Balboa: Rambo IV