Star Wars: The Skywalker Journey Returns Home

With the coming release (December 20) of the ninth installment of the Star Wars movie franchise, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, perhaps the most significant element of the series, the lives and legacy of the Skywalker family come to an end. The end of the Skywalker saga brings closure on a 40+ year cinematic saga that has transformed moviemaking, retailing, mythmaking and global popular culture. It is also brings to an end a storyline that has its very roots in Marin County. Lucasfilm, the company founded by Star Wars creator George Lucas in the early 70s, was originally located in San Rafael, and the original Star Wars film was written in San Rafael and San Anselmo. Skywalker Ranch, of course, is located in western Marin. What better way, then, to bring the nine-film mega odyssey to a close than a lively conversation between two Star Wars experts in the very county where it all began?

Please join us as Mashable's Chris Taylor, author of How Star Wars Conquered the Universe, sits down with Starwars.com contributor, Bryan Young, as they discuss everything Star Wars: What has the film franchise meant to American culture? What can we expect with episode 9 and beyond? Why did the film franchise have such an impact? And what do the films say about our current political system, religion and technology?

Symbolically, the program will be held on the grounds of the Marin County Civic Center, a facility that not only has been featured in a George Lucas film (THX 1138) but has also inspired some of the architecture seen on the planet Naboo in Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace. (The event will be held in the Marin Center's Showcase Theater.)

Please join us as Marin Conversations at The Commonwealth Club salutes Star Wars and says goodbye to the Skywalker Saga in the place where it all began. In short, the Force will be strong with this program.

Chris Taylor is a journalist from the UK who moved to the Bay Area as soon as he could by becoming Time magazine's San Francisco bureau chief. He introduced Time magazine’s readers to Google, Netflix and the iPod. Currently, Taylor is senior editor at the website Mashable. He has been reporting on Star Wars since 1999 and is the author of How Star Wars Conquered the Universe, the first complete history of Star Wars as an independent franchise. Published in 2014, it has become an international best seller, now available 11 languages. 

Bryan Young is an award-winning author, filmmaker, journalist and comics writer. He is a frequent contributor to Starwars.com, Star Wars Insider magazine, Syfy, Slashfilm and many more. He is one of the hosts for “Full of Sith,” one of the highest-rated podcasts covering the world of Star Wars.