Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw is a 2025 animated comedy film based on the 2009 book of the same name by Jeff Kinney. It is the eighth installment in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid film series, the fourth animated film in the series, and a direct sequel to Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: Cabin Fever (2023). It is also the second adaptation of The Last Straw, after elements of the book were previously adapted into the 2012 live-action film Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days.
The film was announced in July 2025 alongside its sequel The Getaway (2026), and was released on Disney+ on December 5, 2025. It received generally mixed reviews from critics.
Contents
Premise
Middle schooler Greg Heffley finds himself continually at odds with his father, Frank's, outsized expectations. Believing his son is too "wimpy," Frank threatens to send Greg to Spag Union Military Academy, forcing Greg to desperately attempt to prove he can "toughen up" and handle responsibility.
Voice cast
Aaron D. Harris as Greg Heffley. He was previously voiced by Brady Noon and Wesley Kimmel.
Chris Diamantopoulous as Frank Heffley
William Stanford Davis as Troopmaster Barrett
Jude Zarzaur as Rowley Jefferson. He was previously voiced by Ethan William Childress and Spencer Howell.
Erica Cerra as Susan Heffley
Hunter Dillon as Rodrick Heffley
Gracen Newton as Manny Heffley
Ellis Myers as Fregley. He was originally voiced by Christian Convery.
Jill Basey as Mrs. Canfield
Bashir Salahuddin as Mr. Warren
Jabari Banks as Lenwood Heath
Randy Pearlstein as Robert Jefferson
Abhiram Gulati as Chirag Gupta. He was originally voiced by Veda Maharaj in the first film.
Sanjay Rao as Mr. Gupta
Punam Patel as Mrs. Winsky
Lila Bahng as Patty Farrell
Dashiell McGaha Schlettee as Ricky Fisher
P.L. Brown as the Priest of Plainview Church
Grey DeLisle as the organ player of Plainview Church
Enzo Valdez as Mikey
Kyrie Neriah Kennedy as Weston Woods
Reception
On Decider, Critic John Serba gave the movie a "Stream It" verdict. He noted that while Greg Heffley is still "kind of a jerk," he is learning to be less so. Serba pointed out that the film is an improvement over previous animated entries because it is "more structurally and thematically sound," focusing on the father-son dynamic. He praised the "reasonably strong final stretch" that offers a warm message about family and growing up without being overly sentimental.
Plugged In stated that the movie is "predictably filled with slapstick violence and grossout gags," which might cause some parents to roll their eyes. However, it praised the movie's "very sweet messages" about the importance of integrity, hard work, and family. The review highlighted the strong positive elements, such as Susan Heffley's wisdom about parenting and Frank's realization that simply showing up for his son is a valuable lesson. It ultimately gave the film "merit badges for its messages."
On Common Sense Media, the notes on what parents need to know. It mentions the cartoon violence (e.g., a dog bite, a raccoon attack) and crude language ("butt," "stupid"), but notes it sticks to its PG rating. The main positive message highlighted is that lying, keeping secrets, and taking shortcuts don't pay off, emphasizing themes of responsibility and integrity.
