The on-again, off-again resurrection of "Hawaii Five-0" may be on again, with both Variety and The Hollywood Reporter reporting CBS has brought in writers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci to take a turn at crafting an updated version of the television classic.

The duo were the screenwriters on the recent "Star Trek" movie and have writing credits for "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" and "Mission Impossible III." The Hollywood Reporter said the two will co-write the story, while Peter Lenkov, an executive producer for "CSI: NY" will write the script.

The trade publication said all three would executive produce the police drama. Variety said CBS committed to the pilot after a pitch yesterday by Kurtzman, Orci and Lenkov.

"We were waiting for this," said Donne Dawson, head of Hawaii's film office. "It's really exciting that they've got the green light and they've attached people of this caliber to the project, which bodes well for its success."

There has been talk for several years about CBS bringing back a new version of the show, which ran between 1968 and 1980 and was the first network series entirely shot in Hawai'i. The series created by Leonard Freeman starred Jack Lord as Steve McGarrett, the no-nonsense head of a fictional police unit that rid the state of its most notorious criminals.

The series was notable for using local actors in many roles and McGarrett's disposition of cases by telling detective Danny Williams — actor James MacArthur — to "Book 'em, Danno."

There previously had been talk of a revival of the series around a character named Chris McGarrett, or the son of Steve. That revival effort for CBS had been headed by Ed Bernero, executive producer of "Criminal Minds."

Dawson cautioned against people assuming the project will be filmed here, since decisions to base the pilot in Hawaii will be based on financial considerations. Recently the producers of "A Perfect Getaway" used Puerto Rico as a backdrop for a movie that supposedly took place in Hawaii.

Puerto Rico's 40 percent tax credit for film makers is double the top tax credit rate in Hawaii.

The decision also will come at a time when the state is about to lay off Dawson and most of her staff because of budget shortfalls, transferring duties to another person within the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.