George Lucas calls Disney 'white slavers' over treatment of Star Wars

George Lucas and Star Wars: The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams. Photo / Getty Images

Star Wars creator George Lucas has taken another swipe at Disney Pictures over their treatment of his space opera.

In an interview with US broadcaster Charlie Rose, the director talked about his decision to sell Star Wars to Disney for US$4 billion in 2012.

He described his films as his kids and joked that he had sold them to "white slavers".

"I sold them to the white slavers that takes these things, and...," he said in the interview, before deciding not to finish the sentence.

He also exlained why he decided not to get involved in the latest installment of his franchise, Star Wars: 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. I made them completely different - different planets, different spaceships to make it new.

"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. And so I said, 'OK, I will go my way, and I'll let them go their way.'"

It is not the first time Lucas has criticised the film. After the premiere he described the film as one the fans would love, avoiding whether he himself liked it.

Lucas later apologised for the "white slavers" remark.

in a statement issued to Variety, he said: "I want to clarify my interview on the Charlie Rose Show. It was for the Kennedy Center Honors and conducted prior to the premiere of the film. I misspoke and used a very inappropriate analogy and for that I apologise. 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. Disney is doing an incredible job of taking care of and expanding the franchise.

"I rarely go out with statements to clarify my feelings but I feel it is important to make it clear that I am thrilled that Disney has the franchise and is moving it in such exciting directions in film, television and the parks. Most of all I'm blown away with the record-breaking blockbuster success of the new movie and am very proud of [J.J. Abrams] and [Kathleen Kennedy]."