New Star Wars Book Reveals the Surprising ’90s Inspiration for an Iconic New Character

An art book about *The Mandalorian and Grogu* reveals that the Droid Gotra’s look was inspired in part by Harry Hook’s 1990 film adaptation of *Lord of the Flies*. The unexpected influence helps explain the faction’s tribal, improvised style and adds context to the film’s visual world.

Concept artist Brian Matyas describes combining recognisable droid designs with low-tech motifs, mismatched parts, layered clothing and paint, alongside inspiration from junker cars. The book, by Phillip Szostak, is due out on 3 November 2026 and includes concept art, sketches and interviews; a preview also features Din Djarin battling a gigantic albino Dragonsnake on Nal Hutta.