Lucas' Red Tails in 2009?

George Lucas, hated by some and loved by many, spoke with ComingSoon recently and told them his new project, Red Tails, might be in theaters as early as 2009. The story follows the Tuskegee Airmen in World War II, the first all-black pilot squad of that war.

"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."

This sounds like the beginning of the end for Lucas. He's got Star Wars: The Clone Wars coming out this summer (animated!) and of course everyone's favorite whip-cracking hero returns to theaters on May 22nd, but Red Tails sounds like the last decent project he's currently got lined up. But it doesn't sound like he's even directing Red Tails - I think he's signed on as a producer - so what else does he really have to do? How hard can it be to produce films if you're George Lucas? Whatever - maybe he'll just stick to comic conventions after this...