George Lucas apologizes for calling Disney - the new owner of 'Star Wars' - 'white slavers'

George Lucas has issued a statement apologizing for essentially calling Disney, the new(ish) owner of his company Lucasfilm and the "Star Wars" franchise, "white slavers."

Lucas let the snide remark slip in a recent interview with Charlie Rose. Here's the full statement, via The Wrap:

At the end Lucas is referring to "The Force Awakens" director J.J. Abrams and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy.

In the Rose interview, Lucas opened up about the difficulty to let go of the "Star Wars" franchise. 

"It's a very, very, very hard thing to do," Lucas said. "You have to say, 'I have to move on,' and everything in your body says, 'Don't. You can't.' These are my kids."

Rose then said, "Those were your kids … and you sold them."

"I sold them to the white slavers that take these things and, and …" Lucas then stopped himself and laughed.

Watch a clip from the interview that includes the "white slavers" remark here:

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