Universal Hearts Justin Lin

The history books will read of Justin Lin as the Man Who Saved The Fast & the Furious.

Under his watch, that went from just short of the direct-to-video bin (after the receipts for Tokyo Drift, the third installment of the series and the first one he was assigned to direct, were deemed terrible) to money-printing machine after the "Let's get the old gang back together" centric  Fast & Furious and Fast Five.

As Lin preps Fast Six (or whatever numerically-inane title they can cook up) for May 2013, Variety reports a top the mountain Universal's inked a two-year deal with the director and his production company Barnstorm Pictures:

"Lin will focus on developing elevated tentpole and distinctive mainstream fare for global audiences. Projects currently being developed under the banner include 'Fast Six'; the spy drama 'Leading Man'; the 'Untitled 442 project' about a WWII Japanese American battalion that's the most decorated unit in American history; and an untitled sci-fi/crime thriller project to be directed by Robert Glickert."

Not included in that crop of projects is Terminator 5 which Lin's attached to and, as of this publication, isn't housed at any studio. Universal could always come in and sweeten the deal and nab it or leave it be. That's assuming a fifth Terminator sees the light of day.