George Lucas Retiring?

Lucas wants out of the blockbuster business.

Is the forthcoming Lucasfilm-produced war drama ‘Red Tails’ George Lucas’ last venture in the world of Hollywood blockbusters? Well it appears so. Talking to The New York Times, the filmmakers said:

“I’m retiring. I’m moving away from the business, from the company, from all this kind of stuff.”

Although, the 67-year-old director has apparently left himself an out clause in case he wants to take the director’s chair for a fifth outing of ‘Indiana Jones.’ Lucas’ long time producing partner Rick McCallum confirmed the director’s comment, adding “Once this [‘Red Tails’] is finished, he’s done everything he’s ever wanted to do. He will have completed his task as a man and a filmmaker.”

Lucas says he will now devote the rest of his life to more personal films that will be “small in scope, esoteric in subject and screened mostly in art houses,” more akin to the experimental movies the director made in the 1960s.

When asked if he would come out of “retirement” for further installments of ‘Star Wars,’ Lucas replied, “Why would I make any more, when everybody yells at you all the time and says what a terrible person you are?”

Produced by Lucas and directed by Anthony Hemingway ‘Red Tails’ is an account of the Tuskegee Airmen, an all-black World War II fighter pilot squad. The squadron, which was sent to North Africa and Italy to escort white bomber pilots, consisted of some of the best fighter pilots in the Air Corps.

‘Red Tails’ arrives in Irish cinemas later this year.