Some new reveals for the upcoming Mandalorian & Grogu promise to reframe how we think about Jabba the Hutt and his race. While the classic Return of the Jedi villain is already dead by the time of this new movie, his son Rotta is confirmed to have a role in the New Republic Era movie.
Thanks to The Mandalorian & Grogu’s first trailer, it’s already been teased that Rotta will be quite different from his father and most Hutts we’ve seen in previous Star Wars projects. Let’s break down how Star Wars seems ready to redefine what we thought we knew about Jabba’s infamous Hutt species.
The Mandalorian & Grogu Will Show Us Hutts Like We’ve Never Seen On Screen Before
As seen in The Mandalorian & Grogu’s first trailer, we know that the upcoming Star Wars movie will see the story of Din Djarin and his adopted son intersecting with various Hutts and their criminal enterprises are set to be featured as well.
While Jabba the Hutt was one of the most powerful and influential members of the Hutt Clan during the original trilogy, the infamious crime lord was murdered by Princess Leia in Return of the Jedi, around a decade before the events of The Mandalorian & Grogu.
The movie’s poster has confirmed the return of Jabba’s twin cousins, who debuted in The Book of Boba Fett. We’ll also be seeing the return of Jabba’s son Rotta the Hutt, making his live-action debut as a fully grown adult Hutt.
As such, The Mandalorian & Grogu may very well feature a plot about the power vacuum left in the wake of Jabba’s death, with his rivals and own family members clashing to fill it.
The last time we saw Rotta in the Star Wars franchise, he was an infant in 2008’s animated Clone Wars movie, having been kidnapped by the Separatists for use as a bargaining chip, only to be rescued by the Jedi.
The shot of Rotta in this first trailer is brief, though it’s already evident he looks quite different from his father and most other Hutts we’re familiar with on-screen, who are often depicted as being quite fat and sedentary, lounging on thrones while running their syndicates with all their needs being met.
Instead, Rotta is shown in a gladiatorial arena, looking quite physically fit with very muscular arms. Additionally, it’s been confirmed that The Bear’s Jeremy Allen White is set to voice Jabba’s adult son, who has recently confirmed new details as to how Rotta will be unlike any Hutt seen on screen before.
Jeremy Allen White Confirms Rotta Will Be Very Different From Jabba
Jeremy Allen White recently revealed on The Graham Norton Show how his returning Hutt character will surprise everyone when The Mandalorian & Grogu releases next year:
Firstly, White confirmed that Rotta will be “running around” with Din Djarin for “a lot of the movie together”, the implication being that Rotta’s role will be more than just a mere cameo. However, he also confirmed when Graham Norton asked for clarity that the son of Jabba can indeed run: “Rotta can move quickly, yes.”
This seemingly innocuous quote from Jeremy Allen White is actually quite fascinating, as it touches on a major truth about the Hutts most people wouldn’t know if they’ve only watched the Star Wars movies and shows released thus far: Hutts can be a major physical force to be reckoned with (when they want to be).
What The Star Wars Canon Tells Us About The Hutts
The wider Star Wars canon has already shown us that not all Hutts are alike. Grakkus the Hutt is a prime example, a similarly muscled Hutt from the canonical comics.
Obsessed with the fallen Jedi Order while also running his own gladiatorial arena during the events of the original trilogy, Grakkus also had a series of spider-like cybernetic implants that allowed him to move faster than most Hutts.
Comparatively, Rotta doesn’t seem to have the same kind of implants from what we’ve seen so far. He may just be naturally fit and capable of quickly slithering where he needs to go, effectively proving that the predominant lazy, fat stereotype that Hutts are generally known is actually a status symbol of their longstanding power (particularly Jabba’s), more than anything else.
Rotta’s return to Star Wars next year will depict him as being a more active and seemingly combat-ready member of the Hutt race than we’ve ever seen in a live-action Star Wars project before. As such, it very much looks like the son of Jabba will help recontextualize how audiences view the entire Hutt species going forward (which is very exciting).
The Mandalorian & Grogu releases in theaters on May 22nd, 2026.
