Star Wars prequels were like George Lucas 'killing his kid', says Simon Pegg

The actor added: 'I don’t really have any respect for anyone who thinks those films are good'

Simon Pegg in costume on the set of Star Wars: The Force Awakens (YouTube)

While we’re all very, very excited for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, there’s one thought at the back of everyone’s mind that won't go away: what if - just what if - it is as bad as the prequels?

Whereas some superfans are able to find the good in those three films (Darth Maul was pretty cool, right?) Simon Pegg really can’t.

In an interview with New York Daily Express, not only did the actor criticise George Lucas for his work on the films, he also took aim at people who enjoy the prequels.

“I don’t really have any respect for anyone who thinks those films are good,” he told the newspaper. “(They’re) a monumental misunderstanding of what the (original) three films are about. It's an exercise in utter infanticide ... (like) George Lucas killing his kid."

The Shaun of the Dead co-writer acted as a consultant on the seventh Star Wars film, and will cameo as a large Alien creature in the film.

"To knock out ideas with (director) J.J. (Abrams), and every single day, whether you were on the set of something you recognized or a set that was brand new, it just felt like 'Star Wars' in a way that I hadn't felt in 32 years," he added. "It was genuinely magical.”

Star Wars: The Force Awakens reaches UK cinemas 17 December.