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George Lucas apologizes for comparing Disney to ‘white slavers’
Posted On Jan 01 2016
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George Lucas is feeling the pinch from a very controversial TV interview with Charlie Rose.
Here is the interview in question. “I misspoke and used a very inappropriate analogy and for in that I apologise”, he stated.
In the statement, Lucas says Disney is moving the franchise in exciting directions.
The comments stirred controversy, and Lucas – a recipient of this year’s Kennedy Center Honors, seen as the highest recognition of cultural achievement in the United States – issued an apology on Thursday.
In an interview with U.S. broadcaster Charlie Rose, the director talked about his decision to sell Star Wars to Disney for US$4 billion in 2012. New statistics show that Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the seventh episode in the epic sci-fi series, has become Disney’s highest grossing film of all time in North America.
“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”, Lucas said. He not only suggested control of the franchise had gone to “white slavers” (in what some described as a “quip”) but added that he did not agree with the “retro” approach the entertainment conglomerate had taken with the film. “Every movie I work very hard to make them completely different, with different planets, with different spaceships, make it new”.
“The Force Awakens” plays homage to Lucas’ original trilogy and has garnered largely positive reviews from fans and critics alike.
“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”, said Lucas in his Thursday statement. Most of all I’m blown away with the record breaking blockbuster success of the new movie and am very proud of J.J. “All the Star Wars films”, Lucas said.
Disney’s reboot of the franchise, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”, was directed by J.J. Abrams and opened to tremendous fanfare on December 18.
