The Mandalorian & Grogu is one of Lucasfilm's most intriguing - and exciting - upcoming projects. Originally conceived as The Mandalorian season 4, similar to Moana 2, Disney CEO Bob Iger moved it from streaming to theaters (making this the first big screen Star Wars story since 2019's The Rise of Skywalker).
Filmmaker Jon Favreau has assembled an impressive cast for the movie, including The Bear star Jeremy Allan White as Rotta the Hutt, a character fans of The Clone Wars will remember well.
It's previously been reported that Jabba the Hutt's son will rock a "buff" look in The Mandalorian & Grogu, and Bespin Bulletin (via SFFGazette.com) has today shared some additional details. It's said Rotta will be a gladiator in the movie, rocking scars on his face from the fights he's been involved in over the years.
He'll also wield a vibroblade/vibrosword, meaning we'll see a Hutt portrayed on screen in a way that's unlike any other Star Wars live-action project.
Interestingly, the site adds that the movie's reported main villain, Embo, is hired by the two Hutts we first met in The Book of Boba Fett. They want to take Rotta out, perhaps to further cement their rule over what's left of Jabba's empire following his death in Return of the Jedi (after they lost Tatooine to Fett).
"I heard mixed things on who hires Din Djarin to capture Rotta," the report notes. "I wrote that I’d heard it was the New Republic and have heard that again recently from another source, so that’s what I believe happens. I don’t know if it’s Sigourney Weaver’s Colonel Bishop that hires Din Djarin or not, but that definitely seems like a possibility."
It appears The Mandalorian & Grogu will be packed with callbacks to Dave Filoni's animated Star Wars work, a treat for longtime fans but something that may alienate casual viewers. Needless to say, the response to this one promises to be very interesting.
"I have loved telling stories set in the rich world that George Lucas created," writer and director Jon Favreau said in a statement when news of plans for The Mandalorian & Grogu first broke. "The prospect of bringing the Mandalorian and his apprentice Grogu to the big screen is extremely exciting."
Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy added, "Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni have ushered into Star Wars two new and beloved characters, and this new story is a perfect fit for the big screen."
Also starring Pedro Pascal and Sigourney Weaver, The Mandalorian & Grogu is directed by Jon Favreau and produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Favreau, Filoni and Ian Bryce.
This exciting new adventure in the Mandalorian and Grogu's journey is currently in post-production and arrives in theaters on May 22, 2026.