Like He Needs MY Help

Opening April 2, it's "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Wrath of Khan." Something like that . . .

Back in October, while I sat eating most of a pizza that Jeff Kinney paid for, he showed me some iPhone photos he'd taken on the set of this movie. He was thrilled with the cast and how well the filmmakers had translated his characters and world from simple line art to live action.

Thanks to his series' enormous success and his own business acumen (Jeff is a sharp cookie), he had a lot more to do with the movie than most writers whose work is optioned. Generally, I understand that the last time most filmmakers care what the original author thinks is when they buy the rights to his or her story. But Jeff demanded and got quite a bit of creative control, which gives me some faith that the film will capture the tone and charm of his books. I hope so, and that it's a big hit for him. I'm not being at all insincere when I say that seeing a guy like Jeff enjoy success like this is almost as good as having it myself.

Almost.
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