George Lucas’ Red Tails coming in 2009?

Posted by Robert Fure (robert@filmschoolrejects.com) on March 14, 2008

Our friend Ed Douglas at Coming Soon managed to score an exclusive sit down with fanboy Overlord George Lucas and got a chance to ask him a few questions about his upcoming projects. First and foremost, of course, is the eagerly anticipated Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated feature that will lead into the new animated series of the same name coming to your television in fall 2008. Footage from this animated bit of awesome was screened at SXSW recently at the Warner Bros’ The Big Picture presentation.

Perhaps most interesting though, is Lucas’ involvement as producer on the John Ridley written Red Tails, an upcoming World War II movie that chronicles the true life story of the Tuskegee Airman. For those of you not in the know, the Tuskegee Airman were America’s first all Black pilot squadron who were tasked with guarding bombers as they made their runs deep into German held territory. The Airmen were noted for their high success rate and rumors used to circulate about a perfect protection record; however recently it has been uncovered that the Tuskegee Airman lost some 25 bombers under their protection on various missions, still a low number and remarkable feat.

When questioned about whether or not he had time to devote towards Red Tails, Lucas had this to say:

“As a matter of fact, I’m working on it tomorrow. We’re getting towards a script, and probably start shooting before the end of the year, and it should come out next year, maybe. That’s probably going to be the last movie I do, apart from my own movies, but my own movies are going to be more esoteric and probably will come and go in a week and be in one or two arthouses. It’s basically the same as what Francis (Ford Coppola) is doing.”

Good news to hear that the Emperor himself is ready to get moving on Red Tails. Lucas has never been known as someone with a fast production slate, so it’s good to see things in his camp are finally moving along at a nice pace. Interesting to note are Lucas’ last comments about what his future holds – small arthouse films. I can’t say that I’m surprised to hear this, but I can say I’d love to see him rocking out with some more epic movies, but maybe that’s just me.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars hits theaters on August 15th, 2008. Red Tails aims for a 2009 release.

Source: ComingSoon

Sound Off: What are your thoughts on Lucas’ decision to go art house exclusive after Red Tails?


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  • Am I the only pointing out that they already made a Tuskeegee Airmen movie back in '95, and it was called...THE TUSKEEGEE AIRMEN? Oh, and I'd like to see George Lucas not make another movie ever.
  • This is good news indeed. I just hope that the film is well done. Historically as well as technically. While the 1995 HBO film Tuskegee Airmen was good.. it could have been better. It was good to see the story told. It is my sincere hope that Mr. Lucas tells it better than the HBO story, that he uses as many sources as he can. I hope he goes into the story from Moton Field to Freeman Field... and points in between. As a member of the East Coast Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen INC. and the C.O. of the 332nd Virtual Fighter Group flying in the WWII flight simulator IL2 Sturmovik, this film is something that I and my squadmates have been looking forward to for some time.

    I hope that the aircraft markings and models are accura
  • This is good news indeed. I just hope that the film is well done. Historically as well as technically. While the 1995 HBO film Tuskegee Airmen was good.. it could have been better. It was good to see the story told. It is my sincere hope that Mr. Lucas tells it better than the HBO story, that he uses as many sources as he can. I hope he goes into the story from Moton Field to Freeman Field... and points in between. As a member of the East Coast Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen INC. and the C.O. of the 332nd Virtual Fighter Group flying in the WWII flight simulator IL2 Sturmovik, this film is something that I and my squadmates have been looking forward to for some time.

    I hope that the aircraft markings and models are accurate with the current state of CGI it could be very well done. There are so many stories , the coke story, the great raid, the ill fated motorcycle trip to town in Italy... The eruption of Mt. Vesuvius while they were there..... So may stories.
  • By the way.. the man whoose story was being told in the HBO film and who co wrote the script was this man:

    http://star.walagata.com/w/bearcat/Duchess.jpg

    Note in the first film the Hannibal Lee character played by Laurence Fishburne had the markings of the 100th, his plane was number 10, and he was from Ottumwa Iowa .. just like Robert W. Williams.
  • Kevin Dahlke
    An author and a friend of mine, John B. Holway of Springfield, Virginia wrote a book called Black Wings Red Tails which George Lucus’ movie Red Tails, currently in production, is based on. The book is available on Amazon.com.
  • Bunyan 10
    Shameless franchise-slum 'original' George Lucas can make all the anachronistic
    WWII feel-good moral alibis he likes. That won't change the FACT that he and all
    the rest of our Hollywood and media are sold out and sucking up to the direct heirs
    of the most awesomely genocidal monsters in ALLLLLL human history ---right now!
    ---across the Pacific!

    Anything for those vast market favors and junk funding ----eh George?
    --------------ANYTHING!

    AMEN
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