An underseen alien species is making its return to Star Wars in 2026. The galaxy far, far away has become synonymous with its array of weird and wonderful alien species, with the likes of Togrutans, Wookies, and Jawas often gaining the limelight. Now, one unexpected species that was last seen in 1983's Episode VI: Return of the Jedi is coming back to Star Wars.
A new report confirms that the Amanin will be making an appearance in The Mandalorian & Grogu. Issue 235 of Star Wars Insider confirms that the cobra-like alien seen in The Mandalorian & Grogu trailer is in fact an Amani, an alien species that hasn't been seen in a Star Wars film in over 40 years. The reptilian alien species was one of the alien bounty hunter species present at Jabba's palace in Episode VI, but hasn't been seen in Star Wars on-screen canon since.
That will change in 2026 as The Mandalorian & Grogu brings back the Amanin. As spotted in the new trailer, an Amani is seen emerging from the water, baring its teeth and gripping a weapon, suggesting bad news for its opponents.
As explained by the official Star Wars data bank, Amani have "yellow-and-green colored skin, short legs and large hands connected to arms long enough to reach the ground." They are also known for carrying a staff strung with skulls, representing kills they have made. Amani are also known for dwelling underground or on the plains, but are rarely found in city environments.
The Amanin were natives of Maridun, a planet located in the Rolion sector of the Outer Rim. The species was featured in several unfinished episodes of the animated series, The Clone Wars, where Maridun was depicted as a grassy planet with dangerous predators. The series also established that some Amanin were living on Utapau, a planet in the Tarabba sector of the Outer Rim.
Over the years, the species has also been seen in various Star Wars comics and in the lore of Batuu, the planet featured in Galaxy's Edge at Disney parks. However, they have been absent on-screen since Amanaman's appearance in Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, a 43-year streak that will soon come to an end.
The Mandalorian & Grogu will be released in cinemas on May 22, 2026. The movie is a continuation of the live-action Star Wars series on Disney+, with Pedro Pascal reprising his role as the Mandalorian, and Jon Favreau returning to direct. The Mandalorian & Grogu is the first live-action Star Wars film to be released theatrically since Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker in 2019.
What Role Does the Amani Play in The Mandalorian and Grogu?
The Amani character was seen only briefly in the trailer for The Mandalorian & Grogu, so it's unclear what kind of role they will play in the story. The species in general is known for its hunting, with lore confirming that they display the kills of their enemies on their weapons. Therefore, it is possible that Mando and his companion, Grogu, are targets for the fierce alien.
The plot synopsis for The Mandalorian & Grogu remains vague and hints at Din Djarin (Pascal) and Grogu continuing on their galaxy-spanning adventures as new hires for the burgeoning New Republic. The synopsis promises they will encounter "imperial warlords," and "creatures from Dejarik that have become larger than life," and it seems an Amani may fit into either of these two categories, possibly continuing the bounty hunter role that Amanaman had in Episode VI.
It is known that one other element from Episode VI that will return is the Hutts, with Jeremy Allen White set to play the warlord's son, Rotta. With the last Amani seen in Star Wars, Amananan, working as a bounty hunter for Jabba, potentially, this new Amani seen in The Mandalorian & Grogu will have a connection to the family as well.
Set between the events of the original Star Wars trilogy (Episodes IV-VI) and the sequel trilogy (Episodes VII-IX), The Mandalorian & Grogu takes place in a time after the fall of the Galactic Empire, but before the rise of the First Order. This leaves room for the new Star Wars film to pick up with many plot threads from the original trilogy, and it seems many of its long-forgotten alien species as well.
