The “Not My Rodrick” meme: A Look Back at the Franchise’s Tumultuous Past
The “Not My Rodrick” meme was a viral internet phenomenon in 2017, but its impact on the Diary of a Wimpy Kid franchise was far from positive. The meme originated from fan backlash when the cast for the fourth film, The Long Haul, was announced, with Charlie Wright taking over the role of Rodrick Heffley, played by Devon Bostick in the previous three films.
Fans were upset, and their discontent was evident in the comments section of the film’s trailer. They took to social media, creating the #NotMyRodrick hashtag, which parodied the popular #NotMyPresident trend. The meme gained traction, and within 72 hours, a petition criticizing the casting had amassed over 10,000 signatures.
The meme even affected the new Rodrick, Charlie Wright, who revealed that the backlash left him feeling depressed. Despite Bostick’s kind words, the fan base remained unsatisfied, and the franchise suffered accordingly.
The Diary of a Wimpy Kid franchise has had its fair share of cast changes, with the Heffley family being rewritten multiple times. However, the Rodrick recasting remains the most controversial, and the “Not My Rodrick” meme continues to serve as a cautionary tale of the power of internet outrage.