Rocky musical lands German debut

A musical version of Sylvester Stallone's boxing film Rocky is moving ahead, with the Hollywood star landing a debut in Germany and teaming up with heavyweight boxing champs Vladimir and Vitali Klitschko for the project.

The musical will open in Hamburg in November 2012, Stallone, the Klitschko brothers and producers Stage Entertainment announced in the German city on Sunday.

"To see this story coming to life on a musical stage makes me proud. And it would make Rocky proud," Stallone said.

The rags-to-riches tale about an amateur boxer given a chance at a championship bout will feature new, original songs and also incorporate tracks associated with the movie, including Eye of the Tiger.

The Klitschkos will serve alongside Stallone as co-producers and help train the main actors, who have yet to be cast.

"Seeing Sylvester Stallone in Rocky when we were kids actually was the reason for us to start boxing in the first place, Vladimir Klitschko said.

"We are very excited to support this theatrical project."

Stallone wrote and starred in the Oscar-winning 1976 film, which subsequently spawned a popular franchise.

He said he "always had the idea of Rocky as a musical. At the end of the day, Rocky is a love story and he could never have reached the final bell without [his girlfriend] Adrian."

The boxing-themed musical has been in the works for years. Earlier in 2011, Tony-winners Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty and Thomas Meehan were revealed as part of the creative team, responsible for the lyrics, music and book, respectively.

Producers are eyeing a transfer to Broadway in 2013.