Aaliyah's fans launch online petition to halt biopic

Fans of tragic R&B star Aaliyah have launched an online petition to have an upcoming biopic shelved.

Earlier this week (begs16Jun14), it was announced Disney star Zendaya Coleman had been cast to play the More Than a Woman hitmaker in Aaliyah: Princess of R&B for the Lifetime TV network.

Coleman's casting has been met with a backlash from fans, and Aaliyah's relatives have also distanced themselves from the project, but they urged supporters not to be so harsh on the teenage star.

However, a group of fans have now launched a campaign to halt production on the film.

The petition reads: "This petition is to stop the making of this Aaliyah biopic. It's wrong that Aaliyah's mother or brother didn't have a say so in this movie that is being made. The fans didn't get a say so and neither did any of Aaliyah's friends. As her fans, we're going to do anything in our power to stop this movie...

"They're about to make something that didn't even get approved from her family. That is beyond disrespectful... If you really respect Aaliyah, you have to respect her mother and her brothers (sic) wishes... It was Aaliyah's life. And they're taking it too far now. We need to put a stop to this!"

Shooting on the TV biopic is expected to begin over the summer (14). Aaliyah died in a plane crash in 2001, aged 22.