"Star Wars" creator George Lucas recently admitted that he would have wanted to direct the upcoming installment of the film "Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens." The famed director shared the original plan during his interview with USA Today when he was promoting his new animated movie titled "Strange Magic" that will be released soon.
According to Lucas, who directed four "Star Wars" movies, the initial plan was for him to direct the seventh installment of the series then release it in May 2015, before selling the ownership of Lucasfilm. If his plans were executed, the new film would have kept the "Star Wars" tradition of releasing the film on the month of May. But he also said that when Disney offered to buy the rights for the "Star Wars" franchise, the legendary filmmaker decided to hand over the leadership for the upcoming movie.
"It's better for me to get out at the beginning of a new thing and I can just remove myself. The time is more important to me than the money," Lucas said.
His decision to quit the new "Star Wars" film was due to time issues because he could not commit to work on the new trilogy for another decade. But Lucas did not completely abandon his blockbuster sci-fi hit. For the upcoming trilogy, Lucas will continue acting as the creative consultant. Moreover, the director is now planning to spend more time with his 17-month old baby named Everest.
All in all, he is happy with his current decision, saying, "The only thing I really regret about Star Wars is the fact I never got to see it — I never got to be blown out of my seat when the ship came over the screen. The next one, I'll be able to enjoy it like anybody else."
The upcoming "Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens," directed by J.J. Abrams, will be shown in theaters on Dec. 18.
