Universal Pictures Signs Justin Lin to 2-Year Production Deal

Justin Lin, you are now a bona fide Hollywood A-List director: “Universal Pictures has just signed Fast Five director Justin Lin to a two-year production deal for his newly formed company Barnstorm Pictures. Lin has directed three The Fast and the Furious series installments. The last was Fast Five, which has earned more than $600M at the worldwide box office in 2011 and was one of the few bright spots in the studio’s year. … Hoping to branch beyond fast car movies, Lin is developing an action adventure spy film called Leading Man and an untitled project about the 442 Japanese American WWII battalion that is the most decorated in American history.” The last project is surprising, considering he has said that he loses money creating Asian American films; maybe the battalion squad will star Matt Damon and Jessica Alba. (Hat tip: Rahat)