George Lucas Red Tails

By: Susan Harris
01/12/2012 09:52 AM ET

George Lucas Red Tails – George Lucas was turned down by movie studio executives who would not take on Lucas’s “Red Tails.” (TRAILER)

The Star Wars creator was in dismay when movie studio executives turned down the chance at distributing one of his films. They concluded that the heroic African-American Tuskegee Airmen based film would not be a hit overseas.

Last night, George Lucas made an appearance on The Daily Show and went into further details about what the studios told him about not wanting to take on “Red Tails.” Apparently, the studios felt that they would have problems getting funding for his new movie due to its cast, there was not one major white role in the entire film.

The action drama film was influenced by real events of the Tuskegee Airmen, who were US pioneering African American military pilots who were segregated during World War II.

George is the executive producer for the movie and put up $58 million to ensure that it was made; the stars of this film include Cuba Gooding, Jr., Terrence Howard, and Shaffer Chimere Smith, Jr also known as Ne-Yo. While filming in the Czech Republic, these actors endured a “boot camp” program in which they lived in conditions comparable to those of the Tuskegee Airmen.

“Red Tails” is due to be released on January 20 2012.

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