The release of Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2021) has set two records for Disney and Fox – here’s why. Preceding this newest film adaptation of Jeff Kinney’s widely popular 16-book Diary of a Wimpy Kid series are four other movies spanning between 2010 and 2017. The series follows Greg Heffley (Brady Noon), a middle-schooler trying to get by in life with his best friend, Rowley Jefferson (Ethan William Childress), and older brother, Rodrick (Hunter Dillon). With all this come the expected trials and tribulations of being a teenager.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid is one of the many Disney+ movie releases in December 2021. With the release of this animated reboot, there has already been confirmation of more Diary of a Wimpy Kid films coming in the future after Jeff Kinney announced in October 2021 that sequels were in development. However long the animated Diary of a Wimpy Kid film series lasts, the 2021 adaptation certainly gives a new face to the franchise – one that’s only emboldened by the Disney and Fox records it currently holds.
The first Disney Fox record for Diary of a Wimpy Kid is its status as the first adaptation in the film’s franchise to be co-produced by Disney and Fox, thereby making it the first 20th Century Fox movie to be marketed with the Disney brand. What’s more, Diary of a Wimpy Kid is also the first Fox animated feature to debut on Disney+, making it the first of many Fox franchises Disney plans to reboot. Disney acquired 21st Century Fox in March 2019 when Diary of a Wimpy Kid was still in development, giving both companies influence over the film.
A Diary of a Wimpy Kid’s records hold some significance regarding the new Disney Fox acquisition. With Disney+ only being two years old, there still remains many “firsts” for the platform to break. Because of this, A Diary of a Wimpy Kid can easily claim itself as the first Fox animated film to make its feature debut on the streaming site. This constitutes as much of a win for Fox as Disney, considering that their films can benefit from Disney’s distribution power. A list of Fox movies have been added to Disney+, but none of them have made their debut on the streaming service. Making Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2021 the first animated adaptation, instead of making it another live-action film, also gives the franchise more promise for growth. Concepts for the animated adaptation included incorporating a television series into the franchise, a film adaptation of Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever, as well as a continuation of the original live-action Fox films. However, the decision to make the animated Diary of a Wimpy Kid a retelling of the first book helped refresh the franchise from the beginning, spelling good news for both Fox and Disney.
The animated Diary of a Wimpy Kid adaptation marks the beginning of a Fox-Disney partnership that could be telling for the future of the X-Men movie series, Home Alone films, and other Fox franchises acquired by Disney. The potentially ripe future for the franchise also adds significance to Diary of a Wimpy Kid’s Disney Fox records. It’ll be worth keeping an eye on all upcoming Diary of a Wimpy Kid animated films on the Disney+ platform.
