Let’s be real for a second. If you grew up with the original movies, seeing a brand-new Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul cast pop up on your screen in 2017 felt a bit like someone replaced your favorite childhood cereal with a generic brand. It looked the same on the box, but the taste? Totally different.
The internet didn't just notice. It exploded.
#NotMyRodrick became a legitimate cultural moment. It wasn't just a hashtag; it was a collective grieving process for fans who had spent three movies bonding with Zachary Gordon and Devon Bostick. When 20th Century Fox announced they were rebooting the live-action franchise for the fourth book, The Long Haul, they faced a biological problem. The original kids weren't kids anymore. Zachary Gordon was nineteen. You can't exactly play a middle-schooler when you're old enough to vote and have a 5 o'clock shadow.
So, they hit the reset button. Hard.
The New Heffley Family: Who Was Who?
Jason Drucker took on the mantle of Greg Heffley. Before this, he was mostly known for Every Witch Way on Nickelodeon. Honestly, he did a decent job capturing that specific brand of Greg Heffley selfishness. Greg isn't a hero. He’s a kid who wants to get famous for doing the bare minimum. Drucker nailed the facial expressions, even if he lacked that "classic" Greg vibe we’d grown used to.
Then there was the lightning rod: Charlie Wright as Rodrick.
Look, Devon Bostick’s Rodrick Heffley was a masterclass in "likable jerk." He was greasy, he was lazy, but he had charm. When Charlie Wright stepped into the role with a sleeker, more "emo-pop" haircut, the fanbase revolted. It wasn't necessarily Wright's acting—he played the script he was given—but he was stepping into shoes that were far too big to fill for a community that had memed the original Rodrick into god-tier status.
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Alicia Silverstone played Susan Heffley. Yeah, Clueless legend Alicia Silverstone. It was a weird casting choice for some, but she leaned into the overbearing, tech-hating mother persona perfectly. Opposite her was Tom Everett Scott as Frank Heffley, replacing Steve Zahn. Scott brought a different energy—more "stressed dad" and less "quirky dad."
Rounding out the main group was Wyatt and Dylan Walters as Manny. Because Manny is, well, Manny. He’s the undisputed villain of the Wimpy Kid universe, regardless of which toddler is behind the pacifier.
Why the Backlash Actually Happened
It wasn't just about the faces. It was the shift in tone.
The original trilogy felt grounded in a weird, suburban reality. The Long Haul felt like a cartoon. The movie relied heavily on "diaper hands" memes and poop jokes, whereas the earlier films felt like they actually understood the social hierarchy of middle school. When you change the Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul cast, you're asking the audience to buy into a new reality. If that reality feels shallower than the one before it, people are going to complain.
People hated the change because humans hate change. Simple as that. We get attached to versions of characters. When those characters are based on stick figures from Jeff Kinney’s books, the "look" of the actor becomes the definitive version of that character in our heads.
The Logistics of a Reboot
Hollywood is a business. People forget that. By 2017, the rights were there, the book was a massive hit, and the studio wanted to milk the IP. They couldn't wait for a new generation of fans to forget the old cast; they had to strike while the "Wimpy Kid" brand was still hot.
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Director David Bowers, who also directed Rodrick Rules and Dog Days, stayed on for this one. This created a strange disconnect. You had the same director and the same creator (Jeff Kinney was heavily involved), but a totally different aesthetic on screen. Kinney has often defended the casting, noting that the characters are meant to be timeless. In his eyes, Greg Heffley is like Mickey Mouse—it doesn't matter who is "voicing" him, as long as the spirit is there.
Fans, however, disagreed.
A Breakdown of the Main Cast Members
- Jason Drucker (Greg Heffley): He was 11 during filming. He really leaned into the physical comedy, especially during the scene with the pig.
- Charlie Wright (Rodrick Heffley): Wright has since spoken out about how intense the internet hate was. It’s a lot for a young actor to handle a global "we hate you" campaign just for taking a job.
- Alicia Silverstone (Susan Heffley): She replaced Rachael Harris. Silverstone’s Susan was much more focused on "family bonding" via the "No Electronics" rule, which drove the plot of the road trip.
- Tom Everett Scott (Frank Heffley): He had the impossible task of following Steve Zahn’s iconic "dad" performances.
Was the Movie Actually Bad?
If you look at the numbers, it wasn't a total disaster, but it didn't ignite the box office like the previous ones. It felt like a movie made for a much younger audience. The original films had a bit of an edge—something that 12-year-olds could relate to. The Long Haul felt like it was aiming for the 6-to-8-year-old demographic.
The plot follows the Heffley family road trip to Meemaw’s 90th birthday party. Of course, Greg just wants to go to a video game convention to meet a YouTuber named Mac Digby. It’s a classic road trip trope. The cast had to spend most of their time crammed into a minivan, which is a nightmare for any actor, let alone a group of people trying to build chemistry from scratch.
Behind the Scenes Facts
- The Pig: Yes, they used real pigs and animatronics. The scene where the pig escapes is probably the most memorable part of the film for the wrong reasons.
- Filming Location: Even though it’s a "road trip" across the US, most of it was filmed in Georgia.
- Jeff Kinney’s Cameo: As per tradition, Kinney makes an appearance. He’s a big supporter of this version of the story.
What Happened After?
After the lukewarm reception of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul cast, the live-action franchise went cold. The studio realized that recapturing the magic of the first three films was going to be an uphill battle if they kept trying to find "the next" Zachary Gordon.
Eventually, Disney+ took over and pivoted to animation. This was a smart move. In animation, the characters never age. You can keep Greg in 7th grade for thirty years and no one batts an eye. It also allows the characters to look exactly like the drawings in the books, which eliminates the whole "that's not what he looks like" argument once and for all.
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Charlie Wright eventually moved on, but the #NotMyRodrick meme lives on in the hallowed halls of internet history. It serves as a case study for studios: when you replace a beloved cast, you aren't just hiring actors; you're trying to replace memories.
How to Enjoy the Movie Today
If you’re going back to watch it now, you have to disconnect it from the first three. Treat it like a standalone "alternate universe" story.
- Watch for the physical comedy: Jason Drucker is actually quite good at the slapstick elements.
- Appreciate the 90s nostalgia: Having Alicia Silverstone and Tom Everett Scott as the parents is a fun "Easter egg" for the adults in the room.
- Focus on the script: If you ignore the faces, the dialogue is still very much in line with Jeff Kinney’s writing style.
The Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul cast had a tough job. They were tasked with reviving a franchise that had already peaked. While they might not be the "definitive" versions of these characters for most people, they are a part of the long, weird history of one of the most successful book series of all time.
If you’re a die-hard fan, the best way to support the franchise is to look at the work each actor has done since. Jason Drucker and Charlie Wright have both grown up and moved into different areas of the industry. Sometimes, a "failed" reboot is just a stepping stone for the talent involved.
To get the most out of your Wimpy Kid marathon, watch the original trilogy first, then take a week off before hitting The Long Haul. The "visual shock" won't be as bad if you give yourself some breathing room between the two different versions of the Heffley family.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Check out the animated versions on Disney+ to see how the franchise has transitioned away from live-action.
- Follow Devon Bostick and Charlie Wright on social media to see how they've both embraced the "Rodrick" legacy in their own ways.
- Re-read The Long Haul book to see which scenes the movie actually got right (the "Beardo" family was actually pretty spot on).