Fanboys have long-salivated over the prospect of the once-planned 7th, 8th and 9th installments of the space opera we know affectionately as 'Star Wars.' Today Jedi-lovers everywhere felt a great disturbance in The Force, as creator George Lucas announced when the sequels would arrive -- never.

Fans have been hungry for more 'Star Wars' ever since the original first exploded onto the big screen in 1977. Although when we got more in the form of the long-delayed prequels -- beginning with 1999's 'The Phantom Menace' -- a huge backlash came from both fans and critics alike. The prequels, though not without their share of moments, failed to capture the magic of the original "holy trilogy," but did allow creator George Lucas to rake in a s---load of cash.

TMZ recently had a very brief encounter with Lucas, who is notoriously tight-lipped about all things 'Star Wars' but gave a very matter-of-fact statement on the prospect of any further installments. When asked when we would see the once intended 7th through 9th episodes of the saga, Lucas flatly responded, "Never. I'm retired," before getting into his limo that is likely upholstered with hundred dollar bills.

As a fan of the original films (and a casual fan of the prequels), this is probably the best thing for the franchise. I've long maintained that 'Star Wars' would be better off in someone else's hands. As evidenced by the politically overbearing prequels, Lucas has clearly lost the ability to effectively tell stories about the world(s) he created.

Though his visionary originals were groundbreaking, further stories should be handled by someone who can bring a fresh take to the story. It's such a great world to escape to, so many possibilities for incredible storytelling -- yet it lies largely untapped due to one man's apathy. Lucas once gave us 'Star Wars' -- now he should give it to us. Hand it over old man, it's time for you to move on.

George Lucas 'Just Says No' to 'Star Wars' Sequels
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