Aaliyah's family are angry that the network did not contact them about the film, TMZ reports.
The family are said to have hired a lawyer to fight production of the TV movie that is slated to begin shooting this summer.
Disney actress Zendaya is to play the role of Aaliyah.
R&B singer Aaliyah died in a plane crash at the age of just 22 years old in 2001.
The biopic is slated to explore the performer's rise to stardom.
A posthumous Aaliyah tribute album was put on hold back in January after Drake producer and collaborator Noah '40' Shebib left the project behind.