Kids love superheroes. From their flashy costumes to their incredible powers, superheroes allow a measure of escapism while also teaching them traditional values and even offering them opportunities to be critical thinkers and problem solvers. While they’ve become more mainstream than ever with the rise of Marvel Studios, superheroes have been a part of pop culture since the 1930s and just about anyone, young or old, can name a favorite or two.
That holds true even in the fictional Wimpy Kid Universe where Greg Heffley and his best friend, Rowley Jefferson, live. While the two are known for their misadventures, they’ve always had active imaginations and in the 2019 book Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid: Rowley Jefferson’s Journal, Greg even went so far as to create his own superhero: Intergalactic Man. Born in the unknown depths of space, Intergalactic Man was gifted with the incredible ability to have different powers emanate from each of his four fingertips: fire, ice, electricity and an undefined zapability.
With Greg now part of the Disney family, where the live-action rights to almost all of Marvel Comics greatest characters reside, we wondered if he might have a favorite. Of course, nobody would know better than Wimpy Kid creator Jeff Kinney, who offered up a character who is certainly among the most beloved across the globe when we talked with him about the upcoming streaming release of Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: Cabin Fever.
“I think he would like Spider-Man,” said Kinney when asked who Greg’s favorite Marvel superhero might be. “Peter Parker was a bit of a weakling before he got his superpowers–I don’t think Greg would really relate to one of the big, tough guys so probably Spider-Man.“
Peter Parker has remained one of Marvel’s most popular and beloved heroes since he first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15 in 1962. With one of the greatest stables of supporting characters in all of comics, Peter’s Spider-Man has connected with people of all ages and his stories have been adapted into both live-action and animated adventures that are among the most popular superhero projects ever. If Spidey were indeed his favorite hero, nobody could question Greg’s choice.
About Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: Cabin Fever
Get ready for the Wimpiest Christmas ever! The original animated adventure, Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: Cabin Fever, the latest animated movie based on Jeff Kinney’s wildly successful book series, will premiere December 8, 2023, exclusively on Disney+. The film is a hilarious and heartfelt holiday tale centered around everyone’s favorite disaster-prone middle school student.
The winter holidays are turning out to be especially stressful for Greg Heffley this year. After
accidentally damaging a snowplow while making a snowman with best friend Rowley Jefferson, Greg worries he won’t get the new video game console he so desperately wants for Christmas. To make matters worse, he gets snowed in with his family, including his grumpy older brother Rodrick and annoying younger brother Manny.
Directed by Luke Cormican (Teen Titans Go!) and written and produced by Jeff Kinney, Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: Cabin Fever features the voices of Wesley Kimmel (The Mandalorian), Spencer Howell (Ithaca), Chris Diamantopoulos (Beavis and Butt-Head), Erica Cerra (Power Rangers), and Hunter Dillon (Deadpool 2).
The Characters
Wesley Kimmel (The Mandalorian) is the voice of Greg Heffley, the disaster-prone middle
school student having a stressful winter holiday. He is trying to be on his best behavior so he will get the new video game console he desperately wants for Christmas but gets into trouble with best friend Rowley Jefferson when they damage a snowplow while innocently building a snowman.
Spencer Howell (Ithaca) voices Rowley Jefferson, who enjoys spending the winter holidays
inside sipping hot cocoa and singing Christmas carols with his parents, eagerly anticipating the arrival of Santa Claus on the big night. He is an unwilling accomplice to Greg Heffley’s snowplow cover-up.
Erica Cerra (Power Rangers) is the voice of Greg Heffley’s mother, Susan, who lives for the
Christmas holiday season and all its traditions. She is happiest when the family can celebrate the Yuletide season together.
Chris Diamantopoulos (Beavis and Butt-Head) voices Frank, Greg Heffley’s father, who is so busy anticipating a massive winter snowstorm that he is missing out on the family’s holiday
traditions that are so important to his wife Susan.
Hunter Dillon (Deadpool 2) is the voice of Greg’s older brother, Rodrick Heffley, who is spending the winter holidays lazy and unmoving from the couch until he decides he will find the culprits wanted by the police so he can take the reward money for himself.
Lisa Ann Walter (Abbott Elementary) voices Gabby, who drives a snowplow to make extra
money for the holidays. She is a single mother to her son Tyler, who is the light of her life.
Elfriendo is a homemade doll from Susan Heffley’s childhood who keeps watch over children and reports any bad behavior to Santa and his elves at the North Pole.
The Filmmakers
Jeff Kinney (Writer/Producer) is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Diary of a
Wimpy Kid series and the Awesome Friendly Kid series. He is a six-time Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award winner for Favorite Book and has been named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World. He spent his childhood in the Washington, D.C., area and moved to New England, where he and his wife own a bookstore named An Unlikely Story.
Luke Cormican’s (Director) numerous animated credits include over 78 episodes of Teen Titans Go, on which he served as writer, producer, and director, as well as The Penguins of
Madagascar, Brandy and Mr. Whiskers, The Buzz on Maggie, and Ren and Stimpy Adult
Party Cartoon, among others. Cormican also served as head of story on Teen Titans Go to the Movies.
John Paesano (Composer) is a BAFTA-winning, Emmy®-nominated composer with a range of credits that include The Maze Runner film trilogy, both of PlayStation’s Spider-Man videogames, 50 episodes of Marvel’s Defenders and Daredevil and 100 episodes of
the How to Train Your Dragon series (for which he won an Annie Award).
