Thats not what Lucas meant though--he said actual films that are abstract and experimental like how THX and his student films are. Because Spider-Man 3 gave us 100% CG characters, Superman Returns gave us all digital filming, and every other blockbuster now shares these qualities. The only thing Lucas did before most was shoot on digital tape, but this was just a cost-saver because he had so many special effects in the movie (and ultimately the cost-saving factor failed). IMO Lucas will never make those movies of his, which he says he has brainstormed in note form; he was saying this in 1983 as well, and in 1977 as well, and actually all the way back to 1974. It started because of American Graffiti, which was a mainstream film that became a hit--Lucas didn't like being associated with the mainstream since he thought of himself as an experimental art-house type (ie THX) so he started saying that he would be getting back to his roots. Then he did the opposite and made Star Wars, and was even more uncomfortable that he was one of the biggest hollywood success stories ever, so he said he was going to get back to his roots. Then he made Raiders and two Star Wars sequels, and his reputation was cemented, so he said he was retiring from blockbusters and one day he'll come back to his experimental art-house films that "are destined to fail." Skywalker Ranch was completed, which he said was built for the very purpose of self-creating these "little art house experiments", but then he just used it to work on blockbusters like Ghostbusters, Willow and Hook. Then when he finally returned to the directors chair he just made more Star Wars.

Now he says he will be doing these little art films--but then he goes on to make Indy IV, and two Star Wars TV series, which it now appears he is co-writing. By the time those are both released it will be after 2010, and maybe if we are lucky Lucas can get Red Tails made--which is not a small, personal art film but a big-budget historical action-drama about WWII dogfights. By that time he will be in his mid-70's, and I'm sure will retire, live his twilight peacefully in Lucas Land and then pass away sometime not long after due to his diabetes. Really, I think this whole "I'm an experimenter, I will make small personal films that everyone will hate because I'm avante-garde" is just his way of coping with mainstream fame.