Second Aaliyah Movie Getting Greenlit for Big Screens With New Music After Lifetime Production?
An Aaliyah movie may be coming to the big screen in 2015.
A source close to the production reportedly told S2S Magazine that a big screen film will come to theaters after the Lifetime biopic, will star singer B.Simone and be written by author Zane. Aaliyah's uncle and former manager, Barry Hankerson, is reportedly involved in the project, which may draw in actors like Terrence Howard and Wood Harris to co-star.
While there is a question about Lifetime networks being able to obtain the singer's music for their televised film amid family protests, it seems that the big screen production may be able to provide fans with just that.
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"We're in a position where we can do the feature film and we can do the music," a source close to the production told S2S Magazine. "I think if we do our due diligence, people will watch the TV movie and still say, 'I need to see the feature film.'"
Aaliyah died over 12 years ago in a plane crash at the age of 22. While XXL.com reported that Hankerson spoke about his niece being featured in VH1 bopic last year, numerous media sources announced that Wendy Williams will executive proudce her television movie due to air next year on Lifetime.
Aaliyah's family may not have as much of an issue with an actress portraying the late singer if the film is going to be in movie theaters.
Jomo Hankerson, Aaliyah's cousin and president of her Blackground Records label, previously called for the late singer's story to be told on the big screen.
"We want a major studio release along the lines of 'What's Love Got to Do with It,' the Tina Turner movie. This needs A-list actors, A-list talent that can breathe life into what we think is a phenomenal story," Jomo said in a New York Daily News Report. ".I don't have a problem with her. It's never been about the actress."
Alexandra Ship, the actress newly selected to portray Aaliyah in an upcoming Lifetime networks biopic, is praying to God amid serious backlash she is receiving for taking the role.
While Aaliyah's family has publicly spoken out against the small screen film, Zendaya Coleman backed out of starring in the film because of it. Now, it seems Shipp, 23, is taking on more than just the role of Aaliyah, but the anger of fans of the late singer who believe they are not honoring her memory.
Shipp took to Twitter to ask God for help in the situation last month.
"God, blind me to negativity," she tweeted. "Give me strength to overcome the obstacles ahead and do what you put me on this planet to do: illuminate."
