The First Trailer For Diary Of A Wimpy Kid Reveals An Interesting Animation Style
Author Jeff Kinney's "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" book series has been massively successful since its debut in 2007 (via The Boston Globe). According to Publisher's Weekly, the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid' books have sold over 250 million copies worldwide and published in 64 languages. The franchise translated just as well on screen with four feature-length adaptations, beginning with the 2010 live-action movie "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" (via IMDb). To date, the film franchise has earned over $263 million at the worldwide box office (via The Numbers).
Both Kinney's books and the movies follow titular "wimpy kid" Greg Heffley as he makes the hilarious — and oftentimes humiliating — transition into middle school. Greg and his best friend Rowley must dodge school bullies and the infamous "cheese touch" all while going through that awkward age when you think you're too old for playdates but not old enough to stay up late. Welcome to life as a pre-teen, Greg.
Considering the kid-friendly franchise's popularity on and off the page, it's no surprise Disney has decided to keep the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" spirit alive. First announced in 2019 (via Twitter), Disney has opted to go the animation route for this latest reimagining. On Tuesday, the House of Mouse released the first trailer for "Diary of a Wimpy Kid." The new film looks like a fun time and features a very interesting animation style.
The new Diary of a Wimpy Kid film has a recognizable animation style
For fans of the original "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" book series, the Disney movie is sure to bring on waves of nostalgia for those who read the series, as it will bring back many of the series' original elements. Protagonist Greg's parents and his mean older brother Rodrick will return, along with the freckled nerd Fregley. The film also wouldn't be a proper adaptation if the moldy cheese at Greg's school didn't serve as a central plot point; luckily, it's very present in the trailer.
"Diary of a Wimpy Kid" will also look familiar because, notably, it features an animation style that closely resembles the illustrations featured in author Jeff Kinney's YA series both in its color palette and its CG style. From the hair to the eyes to the body proportions of the characters, the animation breathes life into the artwork from the books. This new film is sure to bring on waves of nostalgia for those who read the series, as it will bring back many of the series' original elements.
Fans touched on the Disney picture's animation style on the Walt Disney Studios tweet about the trailer. One of the top comments is from Twitter user @MarvelFan214, who writes: "The animation style and different voices, I'll have to get used to. But, this does look like a straight-up animated remake of the first 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' movie, even making callbacks to the original. But, it does look like it could be pretty fun."
"Diary of a Wimpy Kid" will be available to stream exclusively on Disney+ on December 3.