Jeremy Allen White’s Hutt Is the Adonis Creed of ‘The Mandalorian & Grogu’

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Everyone was surprised to learn that Jeremy Allen White would be joining The Mandalorian and Grogu, especially because he’s voicing Rotta the Hutt. Rotta is the son of the popular Star Wars villain Jabba the Hutt and was first seen as a baby in the 2008 animated movie Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

The new trailer for The Mandalorian and Grogu shows Rotta the Hutt as a grown, powerfully built gladiator – quite a change from the young, somewhat unpleasant Hutt Ahsoka Tano called “Stinky.” Director Jon Favreau told Empire that he based Rotta’s character on Adonis “Donnie” Creed, played by Michael B. Jordan in the Creed movies (Creed, Creed II, and Creed III). This inspiration extends beyond just Rotta being a fighter; it also shapes his feelings about his father’s history, as Favreau explained.

As a film fan, I always find it fascinating to consider legacy. What’s it like growing up with a famous parent, especially when that parent is… Jabba the Hutt? It really makes you wonder how that shapes someone’s life, how it changes their path. I’m particularly enjoying seeing Rotta really come into his own – he’s a total fighter, a real gladiator down in those fighting pits!

See Jeremy Allen White’s Rotta the Hutt for yourself in the Mandalorian and Grogu trailer:

It really struck me how Jon Favreau connected Rotta the Hutt to Adonis Creed – it’s more meaningful than it seems for Star Wars. Adonis, as you know, is the son of the incredible Apollo Creed, played by the late Carl Weathers, who was also a fantastic Greef Karga in The Mandalorian. They even honored Apollo in the trailer for The Mandalorian and Grogu with a subtle nod – the door clearly reads “Weathers Apollo” in Aurebesh, the language of the Star Wars universe. And it’s cool to learn Adonis Creed was created by Ryan Coogler, just like Favreau, he’s a director from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Coogler actually told people he saw Favreau’s Iron Man on its opening night while he was still in film school – it clearly made a big impression!

Jeremy Allen White has given some insight into his role as Rotta the Hutt. While Rotta will primarily speak Basic, the common language of the Star Wars universe, White hinted there will be some Huttese as well. Although his voice will be further altered in editing, White also changed how he spoke while recording, noting that listening to Jabba the Hutt was a helpful reference.

The release of The Mandalorian and Grogu is a crucial moment for the Star Wars franchise. It’s the first film since 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker and the first under the new leadership at Lucasfilm. There’s concern within Disney that the movie might only appeal to dedicated Star Wars fans, rather than a broader audience. While the initial Super Bowl ad didn’t resonate well, the trailer released afterward seems to have generated more positive interest. One thing’s for sure: Star Wars fans will be surprised to see a muscular Hutt in the film.

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2026-03-07 19:20