In today’s film news roundup, “Creed II” rounds out its cast, the African American Film Critics Association starts a screening series with American Cinematheque and Sundance award winner Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers begins shooting her first feature.


CASTINGS


“Fences” star Russell Hornsby has joined Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone in MGM-Warner Bros.’ “Creed II,” which began shooting Monday in Philadelphia.


“Creed II” is the continuation of the Rocky franchise and the sequel to 2015’s “Creed,” which took in more than $170 million at the worldwide box office. The new film is being directed by Steven Caple Jr., from an original screenplay written by Stallone based on characters from thefranchise.


Jordan is returning as Adonis Creed and Stallone as Rocky Balboa. Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, Wood Harris and Andre Ward are reprising their roles. The film is produced by Irwin Winkler, Charles Winkler, William Chartoff, David Winkler, Kevin King-Templeton and Stallone. “Black Panther” director Ryan Coogler, who directed “Creed,” is exec producing.


Florian Munteanu is playing Viktor Drago, the son of Dolph Lundgren’s Ivan Drago character from “Rocky IV.” Hornsby is portraying the Buddy Marcelle charecter. “Creed II” will be distributed theatrically in the U.S. by MGM on Nov. 21 and Warner Bros. Pictures will distribute the film internationally.



BLACK SHOWCASE


The African American Film Critics Association and the American Cinematheque have joined forces to create a special program to screen and celebrate African American film.


AAFCA will curate an ongoing film series showcasing a wide range of Black films and conversations with filmmakers exploring the cultural significance and important themes of the work.


The series will launch on April 29 with a special event celebrating the career of Carl Franklin at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood with his debut feature, “One False Move,” along with his adaptation of the Walter Mosley novel, “Devil in a Blue Dress.” Franklin will appear for a Q&A after the screenings.


AAFCA and the Cinematheque will announce other special programs throughout the year.


PRODUCTION STARTS


Production has launched in Vancouver on “The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open,” co-written and co-directed by Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers and Kathleen Hepburn.


The film marks the feature-length directorial debut for Tailfeathers, who was awarded the Sundance Institute’s 2018 Merata Mita Fellowship. The film is inspired by a transformative moment in her life — the story of a chance encounter between two indigenous women with drastically different lived experience, navigating the aftermath of domestic abuse.


Hepburn’s first feature “Never Steady, Never Still” premiered last year at the Toronto Film Festival and was recently nominated for eight Canadian Screen Awards including Best Film and Best Director. Norm Li, who was nominated for Best Cinematography for “Never Steady, Never Still,” has also come on board as director of photography and will be shooting “The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open” on 16mm film.