‘Rocky’ Musical Heads to Broadway

Proving that no movie is safe from the musical treatment, “Rocky,” the Oscar-winning classic that made Sylvester Stallone a star, is set to make its Broadway debut.

The new musical, produced by Stallone, premiered last year in Germany and will open on Broadway in February 2014. It follows the same story as the film, with struggling boxer Rocky Balboa taking on heavyweight champ Apollo Creed in a bout meant to prove Rocky’s worth to the world, and himself.

A trailer for the musical hit the web this week, featuring interviews with Stallone, director Alex Timbers, and lyricist Lynn Ahrens, and short clips of songs and scenes from the show. Apollo Creed dances to a disco number and Rocky sings that he must “make a new start” and “fight from the heart.” It all seems a bit cheesy, but the producers say that “Rocky” is a universal tale of love and inspiration.

“What Rocky’s able to achieve when no one believes in him is a global idea that any of us can do what we dream of if we set our mind to it,” Timbers said.

“It’s a story that can go from generation to generation, about how everyone’s entitled to a moment of dignity,” Stallone added.

We’ll see how dignified things turn out next year. From the looks of the trailer, the fight scenes are well-staged and should make for an exciting visual in person. “Rocky” enters the ring at Winter Garden Theater next February.

[h/t SlashFilm]