When considering actors to play the son of infamous Star Wars gangster Jabba the Hutt, why not look to one of today’s buzziest actors? Variety reports that The Bear star Jeremy Allen White has been cast as the voice of Jabba Jr. (okay, the character’s actually named Rotta the Hutt) in 2026’s The Mandalorian & Grogu.
The upcoming film, directed by Jon Favreau and written by Favreau and Dave Filoni, is a continuation of The Mandalorian: Pedro Pascal stars as Din Djarin, who spent three seasons of the Disney+ series bounty-hunting before settling down for a quiet life with his smol adopted son Grogu (aka Baby Yoda). However, nothing’s ever that easy in a galaxy far far away, and the film’s placement in the Star Wars timeline — a few years after Return of the Jedi — means that there’s a power vacuum left behind following the death-by-strangulation of Jabba, creating a situation in which Rotta the Hutt might thrive. Sigourney Weaver is also set to play a role in the film.
The Emmy-winning White, in addition to the upcoming fourth season of The Bear, is also set to star in Scott Cooper’s upcoming Bruce Springsteen biopic, currently titled Deliver Me from Nowhere. (Fingers crossed he doesn’t face the same vocal issues Austin Butler faced after playing Elvis. Though it could be fun to find out what the Boss would sound like if he spoke Huttese.)
The Mandalorian & Grogu is currently scheduled to premiere on May 22nd, 2026. To remember exactly how Season 3 of The Mandalorian ended, check out our finale review, and also take a moment to remember the time Lizzo and Jack Black cameo’ed on the show.