George Lucas retiring to make 'hobby movies'

Star Wars and Indiana Jones creator George Lucas has revealed plans to retire from mainstream film-making in favour of "hobby" movies.

Lucas, 68, recently expressed an interest in returning to the experimental form of his early film THX 1138 and other projects he completed as a student at the USC film school. He said in January that he planned to take a back seat from the day-to-day business at his production company LucasFilm and has now confirmed he is stepping away altogether in a new interview with Empire magazine.

"I'm moving away from all my businesses, I'm finishing all my obligations and I'm going to retire to my garage with my saw and hammer and build hobby movies," Lucas said. "I've always wanted to make movies that were more experimental in nature, and not have to worry about them showing in movie theatres."

Lucas's disillusion with Hollywood is believed to stem from his difficulties in getting war movie Red Tails distributed last year. The film, which Lucas eventually funded with $58m of his own money after studios refused to back it, is the story of the Tuskegee airmen, a squadron of untested African-American pilots who won nearly 100 distinguished flying crosses during the second world war. It was directed by The Wire's Anthony Hemingway, with Lucas taking a producer's credit. It opens in the UK in June.

Lucas's latest declaration casts doubt on plans for a fifth Indiana Jones movie and proposals for a Star Wars TV series, which is on hold owing to budget concerns. Lucas had been set to write and produce the first season before handing the project over. It was billed as a "dark and adult" show set in the period prior to the original trilogy and focusing on a group of underground bosses who control drugs and prostitution in the Empire.