Amidst the explosion of recent success he has enjoyed, director Justin Lin (Fast Five) has stepped aside as the director of Summit Entertainment’s Highlander reboot. Lin had been attached to direct the film since Summit acquired the rights to the property back in May of 2008. However, his schedule is somewhat hectic of late what with plans to direct Fast and Furious 6 next and potentially the latest Terminator installment after that. All scheduling issues aside, though, Lin will remain on the project in an executive producer capacity.

Hit the jump for more on the future of the reboot.

RCR Media Group has sent out a press release announcing they’re co-financing the Highlander reboot with Summit Entertainment and Neal Moritz Productions.  For those unfamiliar with the premise, it’s about immortal guys called Highlanders who cut off each other’s heads until only one Highlander remains.  Then he gets a special prize and a Queen song plays.  The press release reports that Fast Five director Justin Lin is still attached, but keep in mind that his plate is filling up with other projects due to the success of Fast Five.  Not only does Universal want to hit the gas on Fast and Furious 6, but Lin is also attached to Terminator 5.  Does he want to make the first great Highlander movie (the original is campy fun, but not a great movie) or does he want to go to a film that’s likelier to succeed like Fast 6 or T5?

The press release also announces that Art Marcum and Matt Holloway (Iron Man) wrote the screenplay, but back in February we reported that Twilight screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg had been hired to rewrite the script that was originally penned by The Wibberleys (National Treasure) .  Neither Rosenberg nor The Wibberleys are mentioned in the press release, which you can read after the jump.

Well that was unexpected. Melissa Rosenberg, who has written the screenplays for all of the Twilight films, is in negotiations to come on board the Highlander reboot to work on that script. Justin Lin (Fast Five) is on board to direct the film, which will be a remake of the 1986 Christopher Lambert cheese-fest classic (and winner of the Academy Award for Best Movie Ever, according to Ricky Bobby). Neal Mortiz is producing the film, and when he recently sat down with Steve he said that the film will “stay true to the core of what we believe Highlander is,” but they also want to make it “for people who are new to the franchise.”

The most recent draft of the script was written by The Wibberley’s (National Treasure). Heat Vision’s report doesn’t state if Rosenberg is coming in to do “touch-ups” or to completely re-tool the script. There’s no release date set for the film yet, but it’s presumed to be Lin’s next film.