Interview: Diary of a Wimpy Kid author Jeff Kinney talks The Last Straw movie, working with Disney, and the series’ 18-year legacy.
The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series is a global phenomenon that has captivated young readers and families for nearly two decades. The books, penned and illustrated by author Jeff Kinney, chronicle the relatable misadventures of middle-schooler Greg Heffley as he navigates the tumultuous journey of adolescence. With over 275 million copies sold worldwide, the franchise has successfully transitioned into animated films on Disney+, bringing the beloved black-and-white diary entries to life with stunning color and animation, introducing Greg to a whole new generation.
In the latest film adaptation, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw, Kinney explores themes of growing up and the relatable struggle parents face in preparing their kids for the world. Mama’s Geeky recently sat down with the creator to discuss the inspiration behind this particular story – which hilariously stems from a common parental realization – the joy of bringing these characters to life with Disney, and the privilege of seeing the franchise grow for 18 years.
Jeff Kinney Reveals The Inspiration Behind The Last Straw
Tessa Smith: Can you talk about the inspiration behind this particular story?
Jeff Kinney: Well, I think that it kind of starts off with that initial scene where Greg Heffley doesn’t know how to use a key. Like he’s a middle school kid who hasn’t learned how to use a key. And his father’s like, what, you know, what else haven’t I taught him? And I think that a lot of parents can relate to that. It’s like, I remember with my kid, like, yeah, he didn’t know how to use a key. I was like, does he know how to turn on a stove? Does he know how to light a match? Like, I don’t think I ever taught him that.
And so, like, I think kids growing up these days are different than, you know, my generation where, you know, we were out there lighting small fires. But we, you know, I think that it’s that idea that you haven’t prepared your kid for the world. And I think that that will really resonate with parents. And hopefully kids will see themselves in Greg and maybe have a little bit more understanding of their parents.
18 Years of the Wimpy Kid Franchise
Tessa Smith: What does it mean to you to know that this movie could be the first introduction to Wimpy Kid for someone, but then it’s also something long-time fans have been waiting for?
Jeff Kinney: Yeah. It’s a privilege. You know, my books have been coming out for 18 years. So I’ve seen the kids who are, you know, reading them today, definitely were not born when I started writing them. So I, I feel really lucky to be in this spot and to be with Disney and making really quality films. It’s like, what more could I ask for than that? I started writing them eight or nine years before that. So I started when I was 28 and now I’m 54. So it’s been, is that more than half my life? Almost half my life.
Tessa Smith: What has the collaboration with Disney been like?
Jeff Kinney: It’s really cool. It’s, it’s such a good creative partnership and boy, we get on the phone and we laugh and we laugh and we tell stories about parenting and, and then those stories make it into the films, you know, it’s really cool to, to see that transformation and, and that’s why the movies feel authentic and they feel like they have heart is because they’re coming from a real place.
Jeff Kinney On The Evolution of Wimpy Kid’s Animation
Tessa Smith: The animation is beautiful. I love how much like the book, you get the drawing parts.
Jeff Kinney: Once you call it diary of a, I think you have to have those diary entries so people can, you know, you’d say you have an excuse for that, but it’s, it’s also fun because it’s nice to see the characters go from black, black and white to full texture. And that’s really cool.
Tessa Smith: It’s gorgeous animation. I feel like it looks the same as the other ones, but somehow it’s also gotten better. Does that make sense?
Jeff Kinney: I think we are getting better at it. It’s a privilege that comes with working with the same animation studio on the same characters because we’re able to improve incrementally. And I think this time we have better textures, better lighting. We have more fluid animations, better expressions on the faces, better acting, you know, and the characters expression. So it’s, it’s cool. And I think we’re just going to keep getting better at this.
About Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw
Greg continually finds himself at odds with his dad’s outsized expectations. As pressure builds to turn his act around after a series of hilarious near disasters, Greg’s dad presents him with an ultimatum–and a trip to wilderness camp–that just might challenge Greg’s wimpy ways for good.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw streams on Disney+ on December 5th.
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Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. On Camera personality and TV / Film Critic with 10+ years of experience in video editing, writing, editing, moderating, and hosting.