A love letter to the city of Philadelphia, and the remarkable behind-the-scenes story of the creation of a timeless and beloved piece of American pop culture: Rocky.

The greatest underdog story in movie history celebrates its golden anniversary. Rocky turns 50, and in Going the Distance, Mike Sielski delivers the definitive account of the film’s making, the factors that drove Sylvester Stallone to write and star in it, and its everlasting emotional connection to Philadelphia and to people around the world.

Armed with his intimate knowledge of Philadelphia’s texture, culture, and history, Sielski strips away the myths about Rocky, traces how and why it came to be made, and reveals fresh details and anecdotes that will surprise even the film's biggest fans. Through extensive research and exclusive insights from some of the movie's legendary collaborators – including producer Irwin Winkler and composer Bill Conti, among others –Sielski will tell Rocky’s story in a completely new way, showing Stallone’s rise from an aimless kid to an ambitious artist, one who was willing to do whatever he had to do to succeed in Hollywood.

Going the Distance will deliver the unfiltered origin story behind one of the most inspirational films of all time. This is more than a book about a movie. It’s a dramatic and fascinating ride all its own.