If you go back and watch the original Rocky trailer from 1976, the narrator (some of whom would give poetic-like voice-overs in older trailers) would say, “His name is Sylvester Stallone. But you will always know him as Rocky.” There couldn’t have been a more prophetic statement as although Stallone would go on to have an iconic career with many classics as many characters, he is forever referred to as Rocky. While the recent Netflix documentary Sly gave audiences an insight into the career and personal recollections of Sylvester Stallone, the action legend will be releasing his memoir, which is due for publication in 2025.

Deadline has revealed that the memoir, The Steps, was the subject of a heated auction and the bidding war crowned William Morrow – a Harper Collin imprint — as the winner. Sources say that while it wasn’t revealed what the final price came down to, negotiations concluded around a seven-figure sum. Stallone’s The Steps was naturally one of the biggest titles at the London Book Fair. Deadline also reveals that Sly settled on less money because of William Morrow’s enthusiasm on the project.

The Steps would reference the famous Philadelphia Art Museum’s stairs leading up to the entrance that symbolized Rocky Balboa’s climb to the top of the world. Byrd Leavell, co-head of UTA Publishing, said, “The title was all Sly. He came back to us with that thinking about the double meaning of Philly and running up the steps. But he also wanted to write a book that could help people.” Leavell adds, “The documentary came out but even that only just grazed the surface. As much as Sly has been in the public eye for a very long time he is also deeply private.”

He continues, “This book will show that Sly is a man to whom nothing has come easily. He earned everything.  He just knew to bet on himself because he believed in himself. And that’s the message within many of his movies, personal triumph overcoming adversity. This book is going to further tap into that and allow people to truly understand why they loved all of his movies so much.”

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