(Photo by Lauren Loftus - KJZZ News)

Bob Beard researches authenticity and identy in fandom. He works for the Center for Science and the Imagination at Arizona State University.

The latest Star Wars film, The Force Awakens, is opening later this week to an incomparable level of anticipation, hype and goodwill.

The marketing on The Force Awakens has fueled a passion among people who aren’t necessarily considered traditional Star Wars fans. Bob Beard of the Center for Science and the Imagination at Arizona State University spoke about the topic.