Although Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2021) is the fifth installment in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid film series, this movie serves as a reboot of the franchise, rather than a sequel. Based on the 2007 book Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney, the 2021 movie will be both the first animated feature in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series and the first 20th Century Studios animated film to release on Disney+. Following in the footsteps of the successful live-action series, the updated version will feature familiar beats while introducing new notes to the story.
As a coming-of-age story, Diary of a Wimpy Kid follows Greg Heffley, a boy who dreams of fame and fortune but first has to navigate middle school with his best friend, Rowley. Previously, the Diary of a Wimpy Kid film series consisted of four live-action movies, which all premiered in theaters. The first three movies, Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2010), Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules (2011), and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (2012), covered the first four books in the series, experienced some box office success, and received mixed reviews. However, the fourth movie, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul (2017), featured an entirely new cast due to the original actors aging out of the roles. This film performed worse at the box office and received greater criticism, making another live-action Diary of a Wimpy Kid movie unlikely.
However, the new animated Diary of a Wimpy Kid reboot has been planned for years. After Disney acquired 21st Century Fox in 2019, they confirmed that Diary of a Wimpy Kid was still in development to stream on Disney+. In contrast to the normal pattern for the Diary of a Wimpy Kid films series, however, the new movie will not continue with the next book in the series. Instead, the film will return to the first Diary of a Wimpy Kid book to reboot the franchise.
Re-adapting the original book, the Diary of a Wimpy Kid film uses character designs similar to the characters’ literary counterparts. This art style was shown in the October 2021 trailer for Diary of a Wimpy Kid, which also revealed certain story elements from the book that will appear in the movie. For example, the trailer shows Greg preparing for his first day of middle school. In addition, Greg encounters problems with bullies, trick-or-treating on Halloween, and the infamous “cheese touch,” a game where students must pass on a contaminated “touch” from a moldy piece of cheese on the basketball court.
Although Diary of a Wimpy Kid has not been released on Disney+ yet, several sequels to the reboot are already in development. More specifically, Kinney, who also wrote the script for the movie, revealed that they are already working on an adaptation of the second book in the series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules. The Diary of a Wimpy Kid reboot will premiere on Disney+ on December 3, 2021, retelling the classic story through a new medium.
Key Release Dates
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Release Date:2021-12-03
