“Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days” is
the third and latest big screen installment of author Jeff Kinney’s wildly
popular series of illustrated novels about wise-cracking but hapless middle
school student Greg Heffley (Zachary Gordon). As Greg confides to his diary
(though, as he likes to point out, “It’s NOT a diary, it’s a journal!”), middle
school is “the dumbest idea ever invented,” a never-ending ordeal involving –
among other appalling things – wedgies, bullies, morons and swirlies. And if
you don’t know what a swirly is, then lucky you.
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| Photo courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox |
Returning with Zachary Gordon for
more mayhem in the community are his brother Rodrick (Devon Bostick) who’s
older but not wiser and his best friend Rowley (Robert Capron) whose wholesome
outlook in life makes him the coolest kid around along with Fregley (Grayson
Russell), Holly (Peyton List), Patty (Laine MacNeil) and Chirag (Karan Brar).
“Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days” is
based on Kinney’s third and fourth Wimpy Kid books, The Last Straw and Dog
Days. Kinney, who worked closely with the screenwriters, producers
and director, says, “We have an obligation to our readers, to make sure we’re protecting
their expectations and don’t stray too far from the books.”
Simpson notes, “Some fans will ask,
what happened to the third book, The Last Straw? We incorporated elements
of it into“Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days”, and we brought other elements
into“Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days”. For the latter, this enabled us to
get outside of the school and do a summer-themed movie. This was a great
opportunity to expand Greg’s world. People usually look at summer
vacation as a golden time, but for Greg it’s just as tough as the school
year. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days is a really fun book that turns
summer on its head, and I think we’ve done that in the movie. We also
have some new elements that feel like they’re part of Jeff Kinney’s world.”
Indeed, the filmmakers are quick to
praise Zachary’s achievements in bringing Greg Heffley to life on screen.
“I can’t imagine anyone else playing this role,” says Simpson. “We
started out, three years ago, with a stick figure in Jeff’s book, and had many
discussions about what that stick figure would look like if it came to
life. We decided that it was really about attitude – a little bit of a
hustler, a little bit of salesman, and of course, a wimp. Greg is a good
kid, but still trying to get ahead the way that kids do. Zach has really
nailed this role and I think it’s hard for kids, when they read the books, to
imagine anyone but Zach as Greg.”
Zachary’s Greg still plays off his
friends, including Rowley, and troublemaker older brother Rodrick, but “Diary
of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days” also sees Greg spending more time with his dad,
Frank. Jacobson notes: “This movie is about Greg and his father,
and we get a much fuller sense of who Frank is as a character and more of an
opportunity to enjoy Steve Zahn, who’s played the role in all three
pictures. And, while we’ve had the amazing comedic weapon that is Steve
in our arsenal all along, it’s great to finally let it loose.” Kinney
says, “In the books, the parents are kind of background characters; Greg doesn’t
even know what his father does for a living. But Steve has done wonders
with the Frank character, and adds humor to everything he does.”
Rachael Harris adds, “There are some very laugh-out-loud slapsticky things
Steve does that nobody can do better.”
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