By Jethro Nededog
LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Fox's "American Idol" is going for full spectacle when it returns for Season 13.
An individual with knowledge of the negotiations told TheWrap that producing pair Jesse Ignjatovic and Evan Prager are close to signing on to the music competition as the producers for 19 Entertainment.
Under their production company Den of Thieves, Ignjatovic and Prager are well versed in creating big televised music events.
No strangers to reboots, the duo took over production of the MTV Movie Awards last year, edging out "The Voice" producer Mark Burnett. They have also produced MTV's Video Music Awards, VH1's "Divas" concert and the CMT Music Awards.
19 Entertainment declined to comment. Fox didn't immediately respond to our request for comment.
This is just the latest development in the major makeover Fox is undertaking as a result of "Idol's" continuing downward trend in the ratings.
The Den of Thieves pair will join newly hired showrunner Per Blankens, previously the producer of Swedish "Idol." News Corp. executive and veteran live-sporting-event producer David Hill will oversee production in the wake of Fox reality chief Mike Darnell's sudden exit in May.
As TheWrap first reported, "Idol" fired founding producers Nigel Lythgoe and FremantleMedia's Ken Warwick.
Additionally, judges Randy Jackson, Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj have confirmed the exits we reported first in May. That leaves lone judge Keith Urban and host Ryan Seacrest, who has another year on his contract.
Waiting in the wings is Oscar winner and "Idol" alum Jennifer Hudson. Her $4-5 million judging contract has been held up at Fox as it reorganized the production and executive teams in charge of the show.
Previous plans to create an all-alum judging panel have been put on hold and may be scrapped altogether. Fox has approached Kelly Clarkson, whose reps told TheWrap is not interested in joining the show. Adam Lambert has also been floated at Fox for a seat on the judges' panel, but last we heard he hasn't been formally approached.
Los Angeles-based Den of Thieves is represented by CAA.
(Sharon Waxman contributed to this report)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/american-idol-adding-mtv-video-movie-awards-duo-202951475.html
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