In the build up to the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, George Lucas compared his sale of Lucasfilm and Star Wars to Disney as being like a relationship break-up, and revealed that the Mouse House did not want his input for Episode VII.
Now the Star Wars creator has been speaking to US talk show host Charlie Rose about the Saga, during which he (jokingly) described Disney as “white slavers”, and suggested that he’s not a fan of the “retro” tone they adopted for Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
“I love [the Star Wars movies], I created them, I’m very intimately involved in them, and I sold them to the white slavers that take these things and…” said Lucas, before trailing off with a nervous laugh.
“They wanted to do a retro movie,” he continued. “I don’t like that. I worked very hard to make them completely different, with different planets, with different spaceships – you know, to make it new. They weren’t that keen to have me involved anyway, but if I get in there, I’m just going to cause trouble, because they’re not going to do what I want them to do. And I don’t have the control to do that any more, and all I would do is muck everything up. And so I said, ‘OK, I will go my way, and I’ll let them go their way.’”
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UPDATE: Lucas has now apologised for his comments, releasing the following statement:
I want to clarify my interview on the Charlie Rose Show. It was for the Kennedy Center Honors and conducted prior to the premiere of the film. I misspoke and used a very inappropriate analogy and for that I apologize.
I have been working with Disney for 40 years and chose them as the custodians of Star Wars because of my great respect for the company and Bob Iger’s leadership. Disney is doing an incredible job of taking care of and expanding the franchise. I rarely go out with statements to clarify my feelings but I feel it is important to make it clear that I am thrilled that Disney has the franchise and is moving it in such exciting directions in film, television and the parks. Most of all I’m blown away with the record breaking blockbuster success of the new movie and am very proud of JJ and Kathy.
SEE ALSO: Follow all of our Star Wars coverage here
Star Wars: The Force Awakens sees J.J. Abrams directing returning stars Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Harrison Ford (Han Solo), Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia), Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Kenny Baker (R2-D2), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) and Tim Rose (Admiral Ackbar), in addition to Adam Driver (Girls), Oscar Isaac (A Most Violent Year), Andy Serkis (Avengers: Age of Ultron), Domhnall Gleeson (Ex Machina), John Boyega (Attack the Block), Daisy Ridley (Silent Witness), Gwendoline Christie (Game of Thrones), Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave), Ken Leung (Lost), Miltos Yerolemou (Game of Thrones), Max von Sydow (The Exorcist), Jessica Henwick (Spirit Warriors), Christina Chong (24: Live Another Day), Simon Pegg (Star Trek) and newcomers Crystal Clarke and Pip Andersen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng&v=R7AFmg2LsJs
Originally published December 31, 2015. Updated April 15, 2018.
