Over 40 years after its release, a new documentary will chronicle the behind-the-scenes journey of the 1976 classic film, Rocky.
According to Variety, the doc will follow along as Stallone recounts the making of the film, through rare home movies filmed by John G. Avildsen, the original film’s director. The forthcoming doc was written and directed by Derek Wayne Johnson and executive produced by David Polemeni.
“The documentary is a golden nugget for Rocky fans and casual audiences alike,” Johnson said of the project. “It’s a charming piece of film history narrated by Rocky himself, Sylvester Stallone, and will give audiences an intimate, and at times, emotional experience. We’re proud of the film, and audiences can expect new stories and new footage that they’ve never seen before in a blend of director John Avildsen’s home movies, rehearsal footage, and behind-the-scenes footage from the making of the ultimate underdog film.”
When it premiered, Rocky was praised by fans and critics alike. It won the 1977 Academy Award for Best Picture, as well as the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture—Drama, and garnered Sylvester Stallone, an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. Virgil Films announced that ’40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic’ will arrive worldwide on June 9, on digital HD platforms.