Meehan, Flaherty & Ahrens Develop 'Rocky' The Musical?

According to sources attached to the project, the hit 1976 film Rocky – the tale of the prize boxer epitomized by Sylvester Stallone – is in development to be adapted as a stage musical.

Rocky the musical will feature the skills Tony Award-winning book-writer, Thomas Meehan (Cry-Baby at LaJolla Playhouse, The Producers and Young Frankenstein) with songs by Tony Award-winning team Lynn Ahrens (lyrics) and Stephen Flaherty (composer) – the creators of Ragtime, The Glorious Ones, and Once on This Island.

Tony Award-winner Joe Mantello (Wicked, Assassins) is reported to direct.  The Rocky theme, "Gonna Fly Now" by Bill Conti, Carol Connors and Ayn Robbins – will be featured in the score.

No further details on casting, creative crew, producers or production date have been announced.

Rocky won the 1977 Oscar for Best Picture.  John G. Avildsen won for Best Director.  The film also garnered awards for Best Film Editing and was nominated for Best Original Song, Best Original Screenplay and Best Sound.  Stallone and Talia Shire were nominated as lead actors; Burt Young and Burgess Meredith were nominated for their supporting roles.

Rocky tells "the rags-to-riches American Dream story of Rocky Balboa, an uneducated but good-hearted debt collector for a loan shark in Philadelphia. Balboa is also a club fighter who gets a shot at the world heavyweight championship when the scheduled contender breaks his hand."  The original Rocky film sparked five sequels.