"Diary of a Wimpy Kid" is a popular American media franchise based on Jeff Kinney's children's book series. The story revolves around Greg Heffley, a middle school student who chronicles his daily experiences, thoughts, and struggles with humor in his diary. The books are presented in a diary-comic format, combining text with Kinney's simple yet expressive cartoon illustrations.
September 2004: Diary of a Wimpy Kid Online Release
In September 2004, an online version of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, authored by Jeff Kinney, was released on Funbrain.
June 2005: End of Daily Online Entries
In June 2005, the daily online entries for Diary of a Wimpy Kid on Funbrain concluded.
February 2006: Book Deal for Diary of a Wimpy Kid
During the New York Comic Con in February 2006, Jeff Kinney signed a multi-book deal with Abrams Books to publish a printed series of Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
April 2007: Release of the First Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book
The first printed installment of Diary of a Wimpy Kid was released in April 2007, achieving immediate success.
April 2009: Jeff Kinney Named One of Time's 100 Most Influential People
Time magazine recognized Jeff Kinney as one of the 100 most influential people in April 2009.
March 19, 2010: Release of First Diary of a Wimpy Kid Live-Action Film
The first live-action Diary of a Wimpy Kid film, produced by 20th Century Fox and directed by Thor Freudenthal, premiered on March 19, 2010.
April 4, 2010: Diary of a Wimpy Kid Reaches Peak Position on USA Today Bestseller List
The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series reached its highest position at number 8 on the USA Today bestseller list, remaining on the list for 141 weeks as of April 4, 2010.
2010: Start of Live-Action Diary of a Wimpy Kid Film Series
20th Century Studios began producing a live-action film series based on Diary of a Wimpy Kid in 2010.
March 14, 2011: Release of "Wimpy Wonderland Island" on Poptropica
Jeff Kinney launched a video game adaptation of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, "Wimpy Wonderland Island," on his online game platform Poptropica on March 14, 2011.
March 25, 2011: Release of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules" Film
The second Diary of a Wimpy Kid film, "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules," adapting the second book with elements from "The Last Straw," was released on March 25, 2011.
July 3, 2012: Release of "Wimpy Boardwalk Island" on Poptropica
Jeff Kinney released a second Diary of a Wimpy Kid game, "Wimpy Boardwalk Island," on Poptropica on July 3, 2012.
August 3, 2012: Release of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days" Film
The third film in the series, "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days," combining elements from both "The Last Straw" and "Dog Days," was released on August 3, 2012.
2014: Potential "Cabin Fever" Television Special in Development
In 2014, there were discussions about a potential half-hour television special based on "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever."
September 2016: Announcement of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul" Film Production
Jeff Kinney officially announced the production of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul" in September 2016.
2016: Premiere of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Musical"
The Children's Theatre Company premiered "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Musical" in 2016.
May 19, 2017: Release of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul" Film
The fourth live-action film, "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul," based on the book of the same name, premiered on May 19, 2017.
2017: Conclusion of Live-Action Diary of a Wimpy Kid Film Series
The live-action film series of Diary of a Wimpy Kid produced by 20th Century Studios concluded in 2017.
2018: Dan Russell Re-Records Narration for First Six Diary of a Wimpy Kid Audiobooks
Dan Russell, who has narrated the Diary of a Wimpy Kid audiobooks since "The Third Wheel," re-recorded the narration for the first six books in 2018 for markets where Penguin Books publishes the series.
April 9, 2019: Release of "Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid: Rowley Jefferson's Journal"
The first installment of the spin-off series, "Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid: Rowley Jefferson's Journal," was launched on April 9, 2019.
August 6, 2019: Disney Announces Reboot of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" for Disney+
On August 6, 2019, Disney revealed their plans to reboot "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" for their streaming platform, Disney+.
April 7, 2020: Original Release Date of "Rowley Jefferson's Awesome Friendly Adventure"
The initial release date for "Rowley Jefferson's Awesome Friendly Adventure" was April 7, 2020.
August 4, 2020: Release of "Rowley Jefferson's Awesome Friendly Adventure"
The second book in the Rowley Jefferson spin-off series, "Rowley Jefferson's Awesome Friendly Adventure," was published on August 4, 2020, following a delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
December 10, 2020: Disney Announces Animated "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" Film for Disney+
During their 2020 Investor's Day presentation, Disney announced an animated "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" film set to premiere on Disney+ on December 3, 2021.
2020: Diary of a Wimpy Kid Surpasses 250 Million Copies Sold Globally
By 2020, the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series had sold over 250 million copies worldwide, securing its position as the fourth best-selling book series ever.
March 16, 2021: Release of "Rowley Jefferson's Awesome Friendly Spooky Stories"
On March 16, 2021, the third book in the Rowley Jefferson series, titled "Rowley Jefferson's Awesome Friendly Spooky Stories," was published.
December 3, 2021: Release of Animated "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" Film on Disney+
The animated "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" film debuted on Disney+ on December 3, 2021.
December 8, 2021: Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series Appears on New York Times Bestseller List for 664 Weeks
As of December 8, 2021, the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series had been featured on The New York Times's "Series Books" bestseller list for a total of 664 weeks.
2021: No Updates on "Cabin Fever" Television Special
As of 2021, there have been no further updates regarding the proposed "Cabin Fever" television special.
2021: Three Installments of Rowley Jefferson Spin-off Series Released
By 2021, three books in the spin-off series focused on Rowley Jefferson had been released.
December 2, 2022: Release of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules" Animated Film
The second animated film in the series, "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules," was released on Disney+ on December 2, 2022.
2022: Children's Theatre Company Stages Reworked Version of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Musical"
A reworked version of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Musical" was staged by the Children's Theatre Company in 2022.
December 8, 2023: Release of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: Cabin Fever" Animated Film
"Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: Cabin Fever," the third animated film, was released on Disney+ on December 8, 2023.
December 14, 2023: Release of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Musical" Studio Album
A studio album featuring songs from "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Musical" was released on December 14, 2023.