According to TMZ, Aaliyah's family has vowed to stop production of an upcoming television biopic about the R&B singer who died far before her time in a 2001 plane crash.
Aaliyah's uncle and former manager, Barry Hankerson, tells TMZ that the network never contacted them regarding the film and, while they're not opposed to a theatrical film being made, they believe a TV movie is too small for someone as iconic as Aaliyah was.
Hankerson claims the family will block any attempt on Lifetime's part to gain access to Aaliyah's music, potentially keeping the film out of production indefinitely.
The tentatively-titled "Aaliyah: Princess of R&B" is currently scheduled to premiere on Lifetime in the fall. Depending on how this case works out, production may experience delays. The film is based on the bestseller “Aaliyah: More Than a Woman” by former Time magazine music editor Christopher Farley.
It was recently announced that 17-year-old Disney actress Zendaya Coleman was cast in the film's lead role.
