“Look!” chirps Robert Capron, the 11-year-old co-star of the film “Diary of a Wimpy Kid.”
He points at a “Wimpy Kid” poster that’s resting on an easel outside of a ballroom at the posh Four Seasons Hotel in Midtown.
Bouncing in the hallway, the redhead bubbles with unbridled excitement worthy of his “Wimpy Kid” character, Rowley Jefferson. Capron, co-star Zachary Gordon, 12, and Jeff Kinney, the author of the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” book series, are neck-and-neck in a competition. Together, as they tour the country promoting the film, whoever spots the most “Wimpy Kid” posters in public wins.
“If you see the first one of the day, you get extra points!” Capron exclaims.
The game may be getting easier. Posters for the film are becoming more and more visible as “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” readied for its release today. Based on Kinney’s popular books, it follows Greg Heffley (Gordon) as he enters middle school.
It’s a slice-of-life tale that takes day-to-day situations and paints them in relatable, comedic strokes. “Wimpy Kid” enrolls in middle school the way John Hughes’ flicks relay high school or “A Christmas Story” roasts the holiday experience.
Kinney, who also serves as the film’s executive producer, is now sitting at a ballroom table with Capron and Gordon. The author, who has more than 33 million “Wimpy Kid” books in print, hopes people notice the story’s timelessness and the comparison between “Wimpy Kid” and its like-minded, big-screen predecessors.
The stakes in “A Christmas Story,” Kinney says, couldn’t be lower. Ralphie the protagonist wants a BB gun for Christmas. In “Wimpy Kid,” a pair of best buds have their friendship threatened.
“We wanted to tell a small story on a big canvas, so hopefully it will resonate with audiences,” Kinney adds.
The author pauses, then looks at the boys. “Wow, that sounds smart,” he says, tongue planted in cheek.
“Yes, it does,” Gordon replies. “Did you rehearse that in the mirror a few times?”
Laughter floods the room. Despite the age difference, Kinney and the kids spar and banter like school buddies. And soon they’re off to school together.
After the interview, they head to Warren T. Jackson Elementary in Buckhead and visit with students, some of whom will enter middle school in the fall.
When the “Wimpy Kid” shoot wrapped last summer in Vancouver, both Gordon and Capron got their first taste of real middle school. Capron vividly recalls his first day. After missing the first few weeks because of filming, he was worried about being behind. Everything went smoothly, but some of “Wimpy Kid’s” depictions rang true.
“There are tall kids, they have the wisps of a beard and some kids wear their pajamas to school,” Capron says with a chuckle.
The conversation quickly turns to the movie poster, another of which is hanging nearby.
With a mischievous smile, Kinney teases Capron about not being pictured on the poster. The actor plops his head in his hands in mock sorrow. After a beat, he raises his face brandishing an innocent glare of positivity, looking like Rowley again.
Maybe he’s thinking of winning their little game and relishing in bragging rights. With three more books in the series, there’s room for sequels. And that’s a lot of posters.
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