In a twist that might have people scratching their heads, producers are reportedly attempting to secure 80s metal icon Nikki Sixx as a judge on the American Idol reboot.
According to The Daily Mail, the producers are close to a deal that would bring the Mötley Crüe founding member and bass player to the judge’s panel for an undisclosed amount of money.
Videos by PopCulture.com
Up Next: ABC Signs Deal to Bring Back ‘American Idol’ With a Familiar Host
While the exact number was not given, it’s supposedly slightly less than what Lionel Richie is being paid, and that number is said to be somewhere between $3 to $5 million.
Ritchie and pop sensation Katy Perry are both already confirmed judges, with Perry reportedly making $25 million for the gig.
Sixx’s background in hair metal music may not be the most extreme out there, but it is, without a doubt, much more extreme than any of the other current or past American Idol judges. The closest would be Steven Tyler, lead singer of Aerosmith, but even they are very different than Mötley Crüe.
Still, though, Sixx has a charismatic personality, and he’s a straight shooter. He could maybe be the new Simon Cowell.
More: Randy Jackson Reveals ‘American Idol’ Execs Wanted Him to Replace Ryan Seacrest
Producers are also still in negotiations with Ryan Seacrest to return as host, but there have been a few bumps along the way.
They were able to eventually come to a salary agreement of somewhere in the ballpark of $10 – $15 million. However, the hold-up now is the highly coveted Executive Producer credit. The original run of American Idol had about 10 Executive Producers, and Ryan wants to be one this time around.
The problem is, the producers of the reboot are said to have already denied Katy Perry an Executive Producer credit and so now they’re concerned about the ramifications of giving in to Ryan. That does appear to be the only thing keeping the deal from being inked so they may get it all worked out soon.
ABC’s official synopsis of the show is as follows:
“American Idol returns in 2018! The groundbreaking series launched the careers of superstars Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, Katharine McPhee, Jordin Sparks, Adam Lambert and Chris Daughtry among many others. Idol alumni are responsible for 14 Grammys, over 60 million album sales, 80 Platinum records, 95 Gold records, 450 Billboard No. 1 hits, 260 million digital downloads, two Golden Globes and an Academy Award. Now, the search is on for the next American Idol. Could it be you?”
The show doesn’t have an official premiere date as of yet, but it’s scheduled to debut sometime next year.