
George Lucas (left) said director J.J. Abrams (right) and Disney wanted to create a “retro” type movie, which he didn’t like. (source: nydailynews)
It wasn’t the movie he was looking for.
“Star Wars” creator George Lucas admits he was disappointed by how similar the franchise’s latest installment, “The Force Awakens,” is to his original trilogy — and even contended he sold his beloved sci-fi series to “white slavers.”
“They wanted to do a retro movie,” Lucas said in an interview with Charlie Rose. “I don’t like that.”
“Every movie, I work very hard to make them different,” he continued. “I make them completely different, with different planets and different spaceships, to make it new.”
He also called the first six movies his “kids,” saying he “sold them to white slavers that take these things and…,” before halting the remark and laughing it off, presumably thinking better of it.
Lucas sold his production company Lucasfilm, complete with the “Star Wars” rights, to Disney in October 2012 for more than $4 billion.
The 71-year-old didn’t play much of a role in creating the critically-acclaimed new film, though he reportedly offered his ideas for the blockbuster to Disney, which “they decided they didn’t want to use.”
He added: “They weren’t that keen to have me involved anyway.”
“The Force Awakens” brings back a number of Lucas’ original heroes, including Han Solo, Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia. But the film also introduces a new cast of characters such as the multi-talented Rey, the stormtrooper-turned-good-guy Finn and the villainous Kylo Ren.
Lucas revealed that it hasn’t always been easy letting go of the franchise, even if the sale left with him with more wealth than he could imagine. He added that selling the films has been like going through a breakup, adding that it’s best to move on and not keep checking in on what they are up to.
“You have to put it behind you,” he said. “It’s a very hard thing to do.”
Source: Antigua Observer Newspaper