Jabba the Hutt’s muscly son in The Mandalorian & Grogu has been addressed by Jon Favreau, who explained the inspiration behind the decision. The story of The Mandalorian & Grogu will reintroduce Jabba the Hutt’s son, Rotta the Hutt, first seen in the 2008 Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated movie. Portrayed by Jeremy Allen White (The Bear), Rotta will be shown to have grown into a muscular Hutt, something that remains rare in the Star Wars franchise. His reveal image shows him in an arena of some kind, though his full story relevance remains unclear.

Speaking with ScreenRant at Star Wars Celebration, Favreau addressed Rotta’s role and muscular stature in The Mandalorian & Grogu. Excited about the character’s inclusion, the writer and director explained how the Star Wars Extended Universe was an influence on how they approached him. This included pulling from Grakkus the Hutt, a character from various comics, and the idea of exploring new avenues for the Hutts not seen on the big screen before. Check out what Favreau had to say below:

Jon Favreau: Yes! [Laughs]…. I think it was important for us to have an image, because everybody…We definitely draw inspiration from Extended Universe and the Hutts are just an interesting group…. And they were explored slightly in the, you know, through Jabba and what we saw when we were growing up. But then with Filoni, with animation, they really delved into it. And then of course all the accompanying materials, like the comics, like Grakkus – that was, I think, his name, Grakkus? – was a cool, one of the Hutts that was really strong. So there’s all different types and in animation too. So there’s a lot of imagery that’s been explored. And now with technology, it’s fun to explore what you can do with species that you could never show. Look how difficult it was in the original trilogy with how many puppeteers it took and to build that. And then also when they started exploring with CG with the special edition and then later on and we did with Book of Boba Fett, with the twins. So, I think it’s a lot of fun. Plus for the big screen, you don’t have anything bigger than a Hutt.

What Favreau’s Comments Mean For Rotta In The Mandalorian & Grogu

His Appearance Is A Major Factor In His Character

The upcoming Star Wars movie takes place after the end of The Mandalorian season 3, where Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) joined the New Republic, laying the groundwork his next adventure. Rotta is going to play an important role, it seems, having grown into an abnormally strong Hutt since Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano rescued him in his youth. Based on Favreau’s comments, however, it’s clear this inspiration didn’t come from nowhere, with the crime lord Grakkus serving as a core basis because of his strength.

Rotta’s unique, muscular stature will no doubt be on full display as the story for the movie unfolds. He’s also not the only character introduced in animation to be on the cast of The Mandalorian & Grogu, with Garazeb “Zeb” Orrelios also returning, played by Steve Blum. Because the movie is pulling so much from the history of the franchise, it makes sense for it to offer a somewhat fresh take on the Hutts by making Jabba’s son so muscular. It also helps him stand out, likely aiding in how memorable White’s performance is going to be.

Our Take On Rotta In The Mandalorian & Grogu

Hinting At New Criminal Organizations In The Story

Although it’s still not confirmed how big a role Rotta will play in The Mandalorian & Grogu, his father’s ties to criminal organizations makes it seem like he might have a similar affiliation. While it remains to be seen what this means for the тιтular heroes, it could indicate his importance as a key part of their adventure. With his muscular stature being a core, memorable factor of his character, he may also prove to be a danger as well, depending on what his motives really are.

The Mandalorian & Grogu arrives in theaters on May 22, 2026.

Check out more of our Star Wars Celebration coverage:

• Star Wars Celebration: All Panels & Times
• Star Wars Celebration:Live Blog Day 1 – The Mandalorian & Grogu and Lucasfilm Animation Updates
• All 8 Things We Just Learned About The Next Star Wars Movie, The Mandalorian & Grogu
• Star Wars Starfighter Announced: Next Star Wars Movie Releases In 2027, Five Years After Rise Of Skywalker & Stars Ryan Gosling
• Darth Maul Returns In First Look At Maul: Shadow Lord, New TV Show That Fulfils George Lucas’ Sequel Trilogy Plans