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George Lucas quips he sold 'Star Wars' to "white slavers," criticizes tone of TFA

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http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/george-lucas-quips-he-sold-851545

"They wanted to do a retro movie. I don't like that," the franchise's creator told Charlie Rose.

Star Wars creator George Lucas took a slight shot at The Walt Disney Company during a recent interview with Charlie Rose.

Lucas sold his space adventure franchise to Disney for $4 billion in 2012. The latest title released under the Disney moniker has already grossed more than $1 billion.

While talking to Rose about how much he loved the films he created and four of which he directed -- even calling them his "kids" -- Lucas said “I sold them to the white slavers that take these things, and…” Lucas did not finish his thought (49 minutes in to the clip below), but rather laughed before Rose moved on to another question.

Lucas went on to tell Rose he has accepted that the franchise is now in other hands, then he somewhat criticized the latest installment, The Force Awakens.

"They wanted to do a retro movie. I don't like that. Every movie, I worked very hard to make them different," Lucas told Rose. "I made them completely different -- different planets, different spaceships to make it new."

Before the deal came about, Lucas said he planned on writing and directing the sequels to his original trilogy. Then the sale occurred. Disney was not interested in his ideas for the follow-ups, so he stayed away from the production of Force Awakens, he said.

"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 anymore, and all I would do is muck everything up,” he said. “And so I said, ‘OK, I will go my way, and I’ll let them go their way.’”

The latest installment has been a massive success and will likely become the highest grossing film of all time.

the salt is real

love that jab at the end. the 54 minute charlie rose interview is shown below the article should you want to watch it.

sell me to white slavers if real
 

Suikoguy

I whinny my fervor lowly, for his length is not as great as those of the Hylian war stallions
It's amazing to me he is still that clueless. He must have created this bubble where the second trilogy he made was phenomenal, and that bubble still persists.
 
This is so weird. Didn't *he* approach Disney with it? Why are you complaining publicly? Maybe this is him being salty on people shitting on prequels to prop up this one?
 
Before the deal came about, Lucas said he planned on writing and directing the sequels to his original trilogy. Then the sale occurred. Disney was not interested in his ideas for the follow-ups, so he stayed away from the production of Force Awakens, he said.

Damn son. Disney thought the prequels were that bad? No wonder he's pissed. They rejected him.
 

Rentahamster

Rodent Whores
"Every movie, I worked very hard to make them different," Lucas told Rose. "I made them completely different -- different planets, different spaceships to make it new."

...what? Does not compute.


(alternate retort: "But then it wouldn't have rhymed! Like poetry!")
 

MrKaepora

Member
Come on Lucas, despite the prequels I still love your charity work. Stick to that and leave the movies to someone else.
 

BocoDragon

or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Realize This Assgrab is Delicious
So basically Lucas was against the idea of TFA being an ANH retread.

I can appreciate that.
 

commedieu

Banned
FD56ZM3I3H4US8F.LARGE.gif
 

Nokterian

Member
Sorry george but once you sold it they (disney) delivered what wasn't promised with the prequels you did time to move on and let it be.
 
Can anyone even tell what he means when he calls Disney "white slavers" in this context?

I know he's not exactly gifted with words, but...
 

Speevy

Banned
How is The Force Awakens retro?

The prequel trilogy feels more retro to me because it was the early 2000s when many companies had no fucking idea how to believably implement CG in their films.
 
It'll be a more valid criticism if the subsequent sequels also gum the originals like TFA apparently did. Which, if Star Trek: Into Darkness is anything to go by (in terms of studios cashing in on a classic IP), they will.

Say what you will about Lucas, he WAS pretty ambitious with the prequel trilogy, and each film is very distinct from the others.
 

Slayven

Member
I will have to see the interview, cause Lucas has a deadpan delivery that folks read way more into then there is.
 

hamchan

Member
I can see his point about trying something different with each movie. His white slavers comment is a bit weird though.
 

besada

Banned
"I made them completely different -- different planets, different spaceships to make it new."
And that tells you all you need to know about why Lucas isn't involved. His idea of making a big difference is new planets and spaceships. Also, reusing the Death Star in Jedi says hello.
 
J

JeremyEtcetera

Unconfirmed Member
The one part where he makes a good point is that this movie felt too much like a retread or re-make of episode 4 with bits of 5 and 6 mixed in to make it feel more fresh. The story beats were way too similar but not as good.
 

Angry Grimace

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
Can you even imagine how ridiculous it would have been if George kept the property and made 3 more PT-like movies? Just ugh.
 

Suikoguy

I whinny my fervor lowly, for his length is not as great as those of the Hylian war stallions
So basically Lucas was against the idea of TFA being an ANH retread.

I can appreciate that.

True, but the new characters are a step above any of the new characters in 1-3.
I do agree that criticism will have some serious bite if they don't head into a newer direction in VIII.

The apology movie is over, the new groundwork is laid, set the ship in a new direction now.
 
"They wanted to do a retro movie. I don't like that. Every movie, I worked very hard to make them different," Lucas told Rose. "I made them completely different -- different planets, different spaceships to make it new."

And I....actually agree with this sentiment. It's a shame TFA was such a cynically constructed and uninspired retread.
 

Snaku

Banned
You can just feel his regret behind the screen.

The only thing he regrets is not being directly responsible for the box office success the film is having, and that its on track to beat a Cameron record. He's still salty as fuck over Titanic.
 
It'll be a more valid criticism if the subsequent sequels also gum the originals like TFA apparently did. Which, if Star Trek: Into Darkness is anything to go by (in terms of studios cashing in on a classic IP), they will.

Say what you will about Lucas, he WAS pretty ambitious with the prequel trilogy, and each film is very distinct from the others.
Completely different studio and different director/writer than ST:ID. All JJ Abrams can do is copy. I don't see the point in Disney/Lucasfilm hiring and pretty much handing the rest of the trilogy to someone like Rian Johnson if they're not trying to bring in some new ideas to the franchise.
 

Krammy

Member
I'm sure he's upset he sold his franchise off and it's now raking in the money. Anyone would be.

The reality is though, had he made the next Star Wars movie, chances are it wouldn't be making the mega dollars that The Force Awakens is. So his only regret should be that his own skill isn't up to par with what Disney produced. Which isn't an easy pill to swallow either.
 

Jobbs

Banned
Thank jesus he never went ahead and made more Star Wars movies. The man is incompetent. I truly mean that. The prequels don't even feel like real movies. They're not competently made.

If he was going to have such an issue with someone else taking the property and making good movies with it, why sell it to begin with?
 

TreIII

Member
They had to do a retro movie to recapture the tone that you set but then lost Georgie.

Pretty much.

Time will tell what direction they go with the sequel, but I can't really blame them for trying to get everybody back on board with they loved about Star Wars, after the prequels scared most people away.
 

Arnie7

Banned
See. I told everyone Lucas was pissed off with the direction.

They wanted to do a retro movie. I don't like that. Every movie, I worked very hard to make them different," Lucas told Rose. "I made them completely different -- different planets, different spaceships to make it new."

Exactly. TFA is just beautiful recycled trash.
 

strafer

member
"They wanted to do a retro movie. I don't like that. Every movie, I worked very hard to make them different," Lucas told Rose. "I made them completely different -- different planets, different spaceships to make it new."

Yet the green screen stayed the same.
 
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