Steven Soderbergh still plans to retire; demands ‘Oprah’ treatment

There’s a little part of us (OK, a big part of us) that hoped Steven Soderbergh‘s plan to retire in the coming years had just been blown out of proportion, like the grosses of 3D films at the box office. But, the man himself has reconfirmed his exit from the world of moviemaking, leaving us deflated and disappointed, much like 3D films in general.

Speaking to Mike Fleming at Deadline, Soderbergh joked about his impending departure from the business at the age of 50 (he’s currently 48):

“I’ve been stupid about it, I should have kept my mouth shut, but at the same time, I don’t think there’s anything that unusual about it. By the time I finish with the series of projects I’m planning, it will be 26 or 27 films. That’s plenty and if you take volume over quality; I’m twice as good as Kubrick.”

The Oscar-winner also mockingly demanded some plaudits from his peers:

“I figured by giving them two years lead time, they would line up those lifetime achievement awards, but there have been no calls or anything … [I want] the Oprah thing. A year-long daily celebration of my fabulousness would be nice. Or maybe just a smallish parade.”

He has two films set for release over the next six months; Contagion and Haywire. He will soon begin production on the Channing Tatum-inspired stripper flick Magic Mike, follow it with The Man from U.N.C.L.E., and end his career with the Liberace biopic, starring Michael Douglas.

Discuss: But maybe … just maybe … he’ll get the directing bug again when he turns 60!