Steven Soderbergh announces retirement

Steven Soderbergh has announced his retirement.

The Oscar winning director has said his next two projects, 'Liberace' and 'The Man From U.N.C.L.E.' will be his last.

He told website studio360.org: "I just need to step out. When you reach the point where you're like, 'If I have to get into another van to do another scout, I'm just going to shoot myself,' it's time to let somebody else who's still excited about getting in the van get in the van. It's just time."

The director shot to fame with 'Sex, Lies and Videotape' in 1989, which is widely regarded as a milestone in independent cinema, and was awarded the prestigious Palm d'Or at the Cannes film festival.

Many of Steven's other works have been highly praised and well received by critics and fans alike, including 'Erin Brokovich', all three films in the 'Ocean's Eleven' series, 'Che' – a two part biopic of Che Guevara - and 'Traffic'; which won four Oscars, including Best Director.

Steven, 48, added during the interview he felt expected by people higher up in the movie industry to produce the same kind of films he had made in the past, and that he doesn't feel comfortable doing that, and wanted more artistic freedom.