A new Star Wars theory suggests The Mandalorian and Grogu’s Hutt gladiator will be more important than we realize. Played by Jeremy Allen White, The Clone Wars’ Rotta the Hutt (Jabba’s son) is set to return as a fully grown (and absolutely ripped) adult. However, I do think Rotta’s involvement will be critically important in the upcoming Star Wars movie.

Beyond wondering about Rotta’s workout routine (he doesn’t have to worry about leg day), it’s also worth pointing out that The Mandalorian and Grogu’s poster features “The Twins”, Jabba the Hutt’s cousins first seen in The Book of Boba Fett. Keeping all three Hutts in mind, I think I’ve figured out a big part of The Mandalorian and Grogu’s plot.

Din Djarin Seems To Be Trying To Infiltrate The Hutt Cartel

In the new trailer, Din Djarin and Grogu are seated in a gladiatorial arena, presumably run by Rotta the Hutt.

The duo is shown watching the fights (Grogu’s naturally eating some snacks) before apparently getting involved themselves…at the very least Din Djarin, who at one point is on the back of a fearsome creature known as a Mantellian Savrip (first seen in holo-chess form aboard The Millennium Falcon).

Likewise, we then see Din Djarin taking on two large mechanized warriors outside a giant door. Bearing the symbol of the Hutt Clan, it’s a good guess that this might be the door to a mᴀssive vault owned by the Hutts.

Putting the two scenes together, it’s quite likely that Din and Grogu were presumably watching the gladiatorial combat and scoping out the area before attempting to break into the vault. This might also be why we see Grogu traveling through small tunnels, perhaps looking for a way inside the vault for his adoptive father.

Based on more trailer sH๏τs featuring neon signs and seedy bars, it’s quite possible that Rotta’s arena and/or this vault is located on the planet Nar Shaddaa, otherwise known as the Smuggler’s Moon, a key world controlled by the Hutt Clan and a major hub for the galactic criminal underworld.

However, this still begs the question of why Din Djarin and Grogu would be messing with the Hutts in the first place.

Why Would Din Be Going Up Against The Hutts?

Based on The Mandalorian season 3’s ending, we know Din Djarin agreed to work with the New Republic to hunt down Imperial warlords.

This is proven in the new trailer with Din Djarin taking down an AT-AT, New Republic’s Zeb Orellios acting as a key ally, and what looks to be Djarin receiving targets/new missions from Sigourney Weaver’s new Star Wars character Colonel Ward…so why target the Hutts?

Based on past Star Wars media, there are a few compelling answers as to why the Hutts seem to have a strong presence in the upcoming Star Wars movie. The biggest comes from The Mandalorian season 3, and the Imperial Shadow Council’s mention of profits to be made from the hyperspace lanes.

Based on what we know about the history of the galactic criminal underworld, the Hutts have long controlled large portions of the Outer Rim and its trade routes. Likewise, Rotta himself became hostage as a child as the Republic and Separatists vied for Jabba’s favor and access through his territory and hyperspace lanes (the plot of 2008’s The Clone Wars movie).

However, the established Star Wars canon has also confirmed that there was a large power vacuum following Jabba the Hutt’s death at the hands of Princess Leia, with several members of the Hutt Clan attempting to carve up his territory in the aftermath.

This has already been seen to a degree in The Book of Boba Fett with Jabba’s cousins, as the Twins tried (and failed) to claim his Tatooine palace and holdings in Mos Espa. Likewise, it also makes sense that Rotta might attempt his own claim to his late father’s criminal empire, though his full whereabouts and history since he was a baby are currently unknown.

Based on his arena and “impressive” physique, Rotta might have been inspired (or was perhaps even mentored) by Grakkus the Hutt, the originally muscular Hutt crime lord who notably owned a gladiatorial arena on the Smuggler’s Moon years prior during the Galactic Civil War.

The ongoing chaos and a lack of leadership within the Hutt Clan may be something the Imperial Remnant is taking advantage of during the New Republic Era, which could very well explain Din Djarin and Grogu’s interference in Hutt business in the upcoming Mandalorian and Grogu movie.

Perhaps they’ll be trying to prove an Imperial connection on the New Republic’s behalf. It’s certainly a theory that feels like it has some strong legs. That said, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Hutts and Empire are just the beginning in this upcoming Star Wars movie, and that Din Djarin and Grogu’s investigation may lead to something bigger.

The Mandalorian & Grogu releases in theaters May 22nd, 2026