There are some leaked set photos and very interesting - and credible - rumours accompanying them. I’ll hide this in case anyone doesn’t want possible plot spoilers.
[Images removed by Moderator. See Rule 7.]
A very reliable source has backed up these leaked photos as real. Apparently these unknown red troopers will be fighting Din Djarin alongside Praetorian Guards from The Last Jedi. It makes sense that Snoke would be involved, related to the mysterious cloning plot they began in season 2.
I won’t name the source since evidence suggests they’ve done some really nasty things, but they’ve leaked things such as the Grand Inquisitor in the Obi-wan series, and the entire plot of The Rise of Skywalker, before.
I personally hope this doesn’t turn out to be true (the direct ST reference that is) as I’d rather have this series stick to a self-contained-ish Imperial Remnant plot, and of course Mandalorian culture, without dabbling to much in ST arcs, let alone anything so blatant. Since we’re getting Thrawn in the future, I’d much rather have that be the main focus of this and the Ahsoka series, and whatever else they might add down the line (such as the BOBF announcement being a surprise within another show). Of course they could downplay it and leave it a “mystery” that only knowledge of the new movies can help answer, or something like that. But I’d rather this show didn’t have any loose threads in the end.
Direct reference to the leaked photos:
The helmets do remind me a bit of the Imperial Mandalorians we saw in Rebels, so it could be that Mandalorians that are still loyal to the Empire could appear in season 3. This could be really interesting seeing as they’re clearly building up to a Din, or at least someone else through him, becoming the new Mandalore with the Darksaber, not to mention that it’d stir up a lot of emotions in the main characters for obvious reasons.