Disney is bringing their own original movie adaptation of Diary of a Wimpy Kid to their Disney+ streaming service on December 3. A trailer was released that showcases all the mischief, embarrassment, and typical dreaded middle school life of Greg Heffley. It will be an animated feature in the original art style of the book it is based on - to me, that’s a bonus.
The story follows Greg as he attempts to survive middle school life without trauma along with his best friend, Rowley. However, it’s never as simple for Greg as it appears to be for Rowley, with chaos waiting at every corner. It’s a cute and funny coming-of-age story documented in a diary, oh excuse me, I meant “journal,” of a young boy who learns to deal with life’s struggles and discovers what’s really important in the process.
Disney’s movie will be based on the first book of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid book series by author and cartoonist, Jeff Kinney. The series has been a hit since its first release of an online version back in 2004, garnering the series a live film adaptation in 2010 and 3 subsequent sequels and a short film thereafter.
The Disney+ adaptation will be directed by Swinton Scott (Futurama) and written and produced by Kinney. Voice talents featured include: Brady Noon (The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers) as Greg Heffley, Ethan William Childress (mixed-ish) as Rowley Jefferson, and Chris Diamantopoulos (Silicon Valley) as Frank Heffley.
Check out the trailer below:
The official synopsis for the movie is as follows:
Greg Heffley is a scrawny but ambitious kid with an active imagination and big plans to be rich and famous – he just has to survive middle school first. To make matters worse, Greg’s lovable best friend Rowley seems to coast through life and succeed at everything without even trying! As details of his hilarious – and often disastrous – attempts to fit in fill the pages of his journal, Greg learns to appreciate true friends and the satisfaction that comes from standing up for what is right.