Jeff Kinney, an American game designer, cartoonist, producer, actor, and children’s book author, boasts a net worth of $80 million. He is best known for creating the immensely popular “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” series, which has sold over 150 million copies worldwide and spawned multiple film adaptations, both live-action and animated. Kinney is consistently one of the highest-paid authors globally, often earning around $20 million annually from book advances, royalties, and other ventures.
| Jeff Kinney Net Worth | $80 Million |
| Date of Birth | February 19, 1971 |
| Place of Birth | Fort Washington, Maryland |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Author, Cartoonist, Actor, Writer, Film Producer, Game designer |
Early Life
Jeff Kinney was born on February 19, 1971, in Fort Washington, Maryland. He grew up with three siblings and attended Potomac Landing Elementary School and Bishop McNamara High School, graduating in 1989. He later studied at the University of Maryland, College Park, where he created the popular comic strip “Igdoof” for the student newspaper. Kinney graduated in 1993 with a BA in criminal justice.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
The concept of “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” began in 1998, focusing on a wimpy middle-schooler named Greg Heffley who chronicles his life through illustrated stories. Initially released as a comic strip on the educational website Funbrain in 2004, the series gained immense popularity, prompting readers to demand a physical book version. Kinney signed a multi-book deal with Abrams Books in 2006 and released the first “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” book in 2007, which quickly became a bestseller.
The series includes numerous installments such as “Rodrick Rules,” “Dog Days,” “The Long Haul,” “The Getaway,” “The Deep End,” and “Diper Överlöde.” The success of these books led to several film adaptations. The first three live-action films, released between 2010 and 2012, starred Zachary Gordon as Greg Heffley. The 2017 film adaptation of “The Long Haul” featured a new cast with Jason Drucker as Greg. Disney also produced animated adaptations with screenplays by Kinney.
Spinoffs and Supplementary Books
In 2019, Kinney launched a spinoff series titled “Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid: Rowley Jefferson’s Journal,” narrated by Greg’s best friend Rowley Jefferson. This series includes further installments like “Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Adventure” and “Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Spooky Stories.” Additionally, Kinney has published supplementary books for the franchise, such as “The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary” and “The Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself-Book.”
Other Projects
Beyond the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” series, Kinney co-created the children’s online role-playing game “Poptropica” in 2007 with Pearson Education’s Family Education Network. The game involves problem-solving quests across various islands and had over 75 million registered users by 2012. In 2015, “Poptropica” was sold to the education-technology investment group Sandbox Partners.
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Kinney also opened a bookstore and café named An Unlikely Story in Plainville, Massachusetts, in 2015. He guest-hosted 10 episodes of the 10th season of the local quiz bowl show “High School Quiz Show” on WGBH in Boston, filling in for regular host Billy Costa during his special assignment.
Personal Life
Jeff Kinney married his wife, Julie, in late 2003. The couple has two sons and resides in Plainville, Massachusetts.
Jeff Kinney Net Worth
Jeff Kinney net worth is $80 million.
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