Congratulations to good friend Patrick Lussier (“Drive Angry 3D”, “My Bloody Valentine 3D”) who, with “Shutter Island” scribe Laeta Kalogridis serving as co-writer, has been tapped to pen the screenplay for the fifth “Terminator” movie.

Deadline says Skydance Productions and Annapurna Pictures – the production companies run by David and Megan Ellison, respectively – have set the duo to work on a new story that will assumingly continue the events set up in the first four films. Arnold Schwarzenegger has always expressed interest in returning to the role of the impenetrable Terminator, but I believe he wants to see a script first – which is where Lussier and Kalogridis come in.

Lussier brings with him the strength of being able to write great, big interesting action sequences that lend themselves to 3D, in addition to writing compelling characters, while Kalogridis has written some really meaty blockbuster fare; she even has a friendship and past working relationship with “Terminator” creator James Cameron, having written his “Avatar”, so don’t be surprised if the script she’s working on with Lussier ties back to the two “Terminator” films Cameron did – she’s probably got him on speakerphone as she brainstorms and consequently, taps the typewriter keys.

Justin Lin was originally set to direct “Terminator 5″, before he got busy with back-to-back “Fast and Furious” movies; no word on whether he might still man the movie when it gets underway.