Jennifer Lopez will have controversial director Brett Ratner direct new music video for 'Follow the Leader'


In the video, set to debut during an episode of 'American Idol,' the singer will play in a series of urban adventure games


NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Monday, February 13, 2012, 10:00 AM

The Academy Awards may not want Brett Ratner, but Jennifer Lopez does.

A source tells us the sexy singer and “American Idol” judge has recruited the controversial filmmaker to direct the music video for “Follow the Leader,”the second single from her most recent album, “Love.”

In November, Ratner, 42, stepped down as producer of the 2012 Oscars telecast after a homophobic remark he made during a Q&A for his last film “Tower Heist” caused a firestorm of controversy. (He also issued an apology.)

Ratner, who has directed music videos for Madonna , Mariah Carey , Jessica Simpson , Diddy , Wu Tang Clan, Jessica Simpson and Miley Cyrus , is slated to shoot J.Lo’s clip in Los Angeles from March 2-4, just a few days after the Oscars are handed out on Feb. 26.

According to our insider, “Follow the Leader” will depict an urban outdoor adventure game played by J.Lo and a crew of approximately six stunt performers.

The video will get its world premiere on “American Idol” between the end of March and end of April.

Last year, the “American Idol” judge debuted her last video, “On the Floor,” which featured Pitbull during her debut season on “Idol.”

The exposure didn’t hurt. The song went triple platinum — selling more than 3 million copies. It’s also the fourthbest-selling digital single of 2011 and the video for “On the Floor” is currently the second-most-watched YouTube clip of all time.

Like Ratner, J.Lo encountered her own share of controversy over the song. As we first reported, both the lyrics and video for “On the Floor” bore a resemblance to Kat DeLuna ’s 2010 single “Party O’Clock.”

From what our source tells us, the originality of “Follow the Leader” won’t be questioned.

The tech-forward video will “begin with a text or a tweet” sent by Lopez, that reads, “Ready to play? Let’s go.” J.Lo, 42, and her co-stars will then engage in a game that the source describes as parttag, parturbanobstacle sport “parkour” that will have the participants hurtling through billboards and vaulting buildings.

“Follow the Leader” will be Lopez’s first video since her split from husband Marc Anthony . She’s currently dating backup dancer Casper Smart . Our source didn’t know if the 24-year-old would appear in the video, but we wouldn’t rule it out.

A rep for Lopez did not get back to us by deadline.