Director George Lucas says it took 20 years to get his latest film made, "because it's an all-black movie".
Speaking on The Daily Show, Lucas said he had to self-fund Red Tails, the true story of a group of African-American pilots who fought in World War II.
He claimed major film studios would not back the movie because "there's no major white roles in it at all".
"I showed it to all of them and they said, 'No. We don't know how to market a movie like this,'" he said.
"They don't believe there's any foreign market for it, and that's 60% of their profit," he added.
Lucas on Hollywood colour divide — www.bbc.co.uk — Readability
Speaking on The Daily Show, Lucas said he had to self-fund Red Tails, the true story of a group of African-American pilots who fought in World War II.
He claimed major film studios would not back the movie because "there's no major white roles in it at all".
"I showed it to all of them and they said, 'No. We don't know how to market a movie like this,'" he said.
"They don't believe there's any foreign market for it, and that's 60% of their profit," he added.
Lucas on Hollywood colour divide — www.bbc.co.uk — Readability