Los Angeles:
Hugh Jackman listened to the Rocky soundtrack while training for Real Steel.
The actor "loves" all the boxing movies - which see Sylvester Stallone in the role of a small-time fighter who makes it big - and he was inspired by the music when he was getting fit for the role of former boxer Charlie Kenton in his latest motion picture.
Speaking at a press conference for Dreamworks' Real Steel at Claridge's Hotel in London, he told BANG Showbiz: "My favourite boxing movie is a documentary called When We Were Kings, which I would put in my top 10 of all time, but I love all the Rocky movies. I'll be honest, and I know it's corny, but I listen to the Rocky theme when I'm training."
Real Steel director Shawn Levy admits the Rocky movies also played a part in the way he made the film, despite not holding them all in high regard.
He added: "I didn't go into it thinking of it as a homage to any single movie, I love sports movies and I always have, specifically the 'Rocky' movies. Not only the first one, where as a filmmaker I am supposed to revere and do - but even the pulpier, slightly crappier ones, like three and four - I love them too!
"You can laugh about it, but that rousing, escapist, underdog story, I loved it when I was a young teenager and I love it now. I re-watched all of them when preparing for this movie, and it still works for me.
"So in that regard, I really do believe that a well-made, engaging, underdog sports movie can be as compelling for adults as it can be for kids, so the goal was to make a movie that would appeal to both of those levels."
The actor "loves" all the boxing movies - which see Sylvester Stallone in the role of a small-time fighter who makes it big - and he was inspired by the music when he was getting fit for the role of former boxer Charlie Kenton in his latest motion picture.
Speaking at a press conference for Dreamworks' Real Steel at Claridge's Hotel in London, he told BANG Showbiz: "My favourite boxing movie is a documentary called When We Were Kings, which I would put in my top 10 of all time, but I love all the Rocky movies. I'll be honest, and I know it's corny, but I listen to the Rocky theme when I'm training."
Real Steel director Shawn Levy admits the Rocky movies also played a part in the way he made the film, despite not holding them all in high regard.
He added: "I didn't go into it thinking of it as a homage to any single movie, I love sports movies and I always have, specifically the 'Rocky' movies. Not only the first one, where as a filmmaker I am supposed to revere and do - but even the pulpier, slightly crappier ones, like three and four - I love them too!
"You can laugh about it, but that rousing, escapist, underdog story, I loved it when I was a young teenager and I love it now. I re-watched all of them when preparing for this movie, and it still works for me.
"So in that regard, I really do believe that a well-made, engaging, underdog sports movie can be as compelling for adults as it can be for kids, so the goal was to make a movie that would appeal to both of those levels."
