Sylvester Stallone Documentary, Sly, To Close 48th Toronto Film Festival

It's been announced that the Sylvester Stallone documentary "Sly" will close the 48th annual Toronto International Film Festival, which will take place from Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023 - Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023. The film will premiere on Sept. 16 at Roy Thomson Hall.

"Stallone's story is one of perseverance, triumph, and his indelible mark left on the world of film, and we couldn't be more honored to share it with our audiences as our closing night film. Celebrating the legacy of a true icon, ‘Sly' takes audiences on an intimate journey through the life of Stallone, a cultural touchstone whose impact on cinema spans nearly half a century. Sly offers an unexpected and heartfelt exploration of the man behind the action megastar," said Cameron Bailey, TIFF CEO. 

The upcoming documentary will delve into the early life of Stallone, tracing his challenging upbringing as a troubled youth in New York City. To escape the tumultuous outside world, he found solace in crafting movie scripts. His trajectory took a remarkable turn with the emergence of "Rocky," a character he not only conceived but also fought ardently to portray. This endeavor propelled him to a newfound realm of stardom.

In addition to the immensely successful "Rocky" series, Stallone achieved global recognition through ventures like the "Rambo" franchise, "Demolition Man," "The Expendables," and the "Creed" spinoff from "Rocky," which garnered him an Oscar nomination in 2016. Presently, he takes the lead in the Paramount+ series "Tulsa King," which has been confirmed for a second season.

The documentary production is under the guidance of Sean Stuart, with executive producers including Braden Aftergood, Bill Zanker, Sam Delcanto, Jon Beyer, Tom Forman, Jenny Daly, and Stallone himself. Netflix is set to unveil "Sly" this November.

The festival's opening feature on September 7th will be the animated fantasy epic "The Boy and the Heron," directed by Hayao Miyazaki. Among the festival's lineup, there are notable titles such as Taika Waititi's sports-centered "Next Goal Wins," Alexander Payne's comedic "The Holdovers," Kore-eda Hirokazu's poignant "Monster," and Justine Triet's Palme d'Or-winning "Anatomy of a Fall," as previously announced.