Get Ready for Rocky: The Musical

Today in Hamburg, Germany, Sylvester Stallone gifted Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel and every other late night talk show host with an early Christmas present–the unbeatable set-up of a musical stage version of 1976 Best Picture Rocky. Insert your David Hasselhoff, raw egg and-or “Reeee-fuuuuund!” jokes here.

The show is not due for another year, and bizarrely will world premiere in that same German city. Stallone is teamed on the venture with real-life boxing brothers Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko, plus a whole range of Manhattan minted stage talent. Per the Hollywood Reporter:

Broadway veteran Thomas Meehan (The Producers) will write the script to Rocky: the Musical. Ragtime’s Tony-award winning lyricist Lynn Ahrens and composer Stephen Flaherty will re-team for the music, which will include songs from the Rocky films, among them “Eye of the Tiger,” “Gonna Fly Now” and “Take You Back.” Tony Award nominee Alex Timbers will direct.

In addition to co-producing, the Klitchko brothers will train the lead actor, who has not yet been cast, in the sweet science.

On the bright side, at least today’s overseas press conference had nothing to do with a movie project titled Rocky VII.

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