Weve all heard about low-budget films but there are some movies that started with a low budget and went on to be a box office hit. He knew the films potential and at the end of the day, it made more that what they expected. He recalled in 2011 that Napoleon Dynamite "still to this day [is] one of the two top scripts I've ever read", alongside Office Space (1999), one of his most-recognized roles. When the film rights were sold to a, In 2005, the film itself an MTV Films production won three, The 2004 Film Discovery Jury Award for Best Feature, April 2005, the Idaho Legislature approved a resolution commending the filmmakers for producing, This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 02:16. Some people love it, some people loathe it, but in the end, everyone has seenNapoleon Dynamite at least one time at some point in their lives. [23][24][25], Costello believes that Hess got the name from him, whether directly or indirectly. While it was no secret that the film worked with a tight budget. Next:Jon Heder First Got Paid $1000 For Napoleon Dynamite, Now Hes An Iconic Actor. 5 Movies That Resulted in Million Dollar Lawsuits. are available through our research services. Kip's girlfriend, LaFawnduh, arrives from Detroit and gives him an urban makeover, outfitting him in hip-hop regalia. The clues are everywhere. "And I was like, 'Well, I like to dabble.' I think it would be an interesting development in their lives. [14] "It was very, very hot," Hess recalled in a Rolling Stone interview. . [27], In May 2012, Fox went to trial after failing to win a summary judgment on the case. . "https://t.co/NoiF3NYZ67 pic.twitter.com/rqwegMyoxs. Rico tries to sell Deb a breast-enhancement product, claiming it was Napoleon's suggestion, which causes her to break off their friendship. [15] Much of the technology in the film is also archaic; Napoleon uses a VCR and Walkman cassette player, Kip connects to the Internet via a pay-per-minute dial-up connection and Uncle Rico drives a 1975 Dodge Tradesman. The movie starred Kevin Costner as a sort of evolved fish man who helps save a kidnapped girl named Enola, played by Majorino, who had a mysterious tattoo on her back that, for some unexplained. If youre watching it, Im writing about it, and having a great time doing so. Napolean's constant, open-mouth, blank stare says, "I'm only tolerating this monotonous existence because I've got nothing better to do." They only had one roll of film (approximately 10.5 minutes) left to shoot. Along the way,. And perhaps that improbability is the greatest testament to the work of director Jared Hess and the quirkiest of performances from John Heder. During the summer of 2004, Napoleon Dynamite would end up generating over $46 million in box office revenue worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo. Can you believe its been 10 years since Napoleon Dynamite won us over with his mad skills? [18] Ruell, who played Kip, suggested the idea of the title sequence. The movie has no real plot because it isn't about an interesting story, it's about the real life that exists BETWEEN the interesting stories. 1 How much was the budget for Napoleon Dynamite? Ricks College is a Mormon school, (now called BYU Idaho). Budget: $400,000 Box Office: $46.1 million Buck-Saving Tactic: John Heder helped make the boondoggle chains that were supposed to pay . The part was played by Diedrich Bader who is most famous for his recurring role in The Drew Carey Show. The films conclusion works its way up to a dance scene that has gone down in pop culture history. This is the moment where everything comes, and he's making the sacrifice for his friend. Neesh Iqbal: Urban reportage takes its toll on the spark-free second coming. Even though the film Napoleon Dynamite has roots in a short film and had relatively no budget, it was still able to conquer the box office when it finally hit theaters back in the 2000s. On paper, Napoleon Dynamite doesn't gross $46 million, spawn a moon boot revival, and prompt the sale of thousands of 'Vote for Pedro' t-shirts. [59] Many of the featured festival themes related to events occurring during the film. So even if Jon Heder agreed to getting paid $1,000 for acting in Napoleon dynamite, he definitely earned more than the measly $1,000 that is being discussed. I had acted in a few short projects and he thought I could play a dorky guy.. The Movie Sahara was Plagued with Production Problems that, Zoe Saldana is the Only Person to Appear in Two Movies. That took us by surprise. With the Fall box office stumbling, 2004's lead over 2003 is shrinking. They finally earned about $46 million in gross worldwide sales. Thisis nothing short of impressive, considering how cheaply it was made. They kept trying to attack my cousins, what the heck would you do in a situation like that? These are some of the best quotes from the American comedy Napoleon Dynamite as determined by you and your votes. Napoleon Dynamite This 2004 cult classic may have the smallest budget of any film on our list, costing filmmakers only $400,000. Incidentally, Napoleon visits a thrift store and buys an instructional dance videotape called D-Qwon's Dance Grooves. Operating on a tight budget of $400,000, Hess cast many of his friends from school, including Heder and Aaron Ruell, and he relied on the generosity of Preston locals, who provided housing and food to crew members. That film is the DVD Pick of the Week. [60], The success of Napoleon Dynamite led to other films set in small towns, such as Little Miss Sunshine and Juno, which would have similar critical, popular, and financial success. The story ofNapoleon Dynamite is definitely one of a surprise hit. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. You'll laugh till it hurts. [27], Napoleon Pictures also alleged that Fox had breached the agreement in multiple other respects, including underreporting pay television license fees, failing to report electronic sell-through revenue, charging residuals on home video sales, as well as overcharging residuals on home video sales, deducting a number of costs and charges Fox had no right to deduct and/or for which there is no supporting documentation. Im lucky enough to write about film and television for a living, with some fun trivia sprinkled in, too. It is no secret that Napoleon Dynamite was shot for just about as little money as possible $400,000, according to Box Office Mojo. And I think that was half our budget.. After nearly two decades of rumors, it was reported in September 2020, that a sequel to Napoleon Dynamite was in discussion. 46.1million USD There are also some very high quality releases including Zack and Miri Make a Porno on either DVD or Blu-ray. That was the most money Hess and the "Napoleon" crew had ever seen, and some Hollywood circles wondered if the price tag was too high for a film as strange as this one. In a post-credits scene set two months later, Kip and Lafawnduh get married, and Napoleon appears with a horse which the bride and groom ride out on. The two factions put up flyers and hand out trinkets to students to attract voters. Schwarzbaum, Lisa (June 18, 2004), "NAPOLEON DYNAMITE (Film)". PRESTON, Idaho "Napoleon Dynamite," a low-budget, feel-good comedy starring Jon Heder, put this farm town near the Utah border on the map. Worldwide Gross - $46,140,956. Furthermore, Jared Hess's. Along the way, the shows title character and breakout star, Jon Heder, only received $1,000 for his work. Filmmakers shot the entire film on location in Preston, Idaho, on a budget of just $400,000. [8] "I grew up in a family of six boys in Preston, Idaho, and the character of Napoleon was a hybrid of all the most nerdy and awkward parts of me and my brothers growing up. His very next movie, Just Like Heaven, had a budget of $58 million, and even though Heder had only a small role in that film, he definitely was compensated well for his involvement. Mark Hofmann When his schemes began to unravel, he constructed bombs to murder three people in Salt Lake City, Utah. The cult classic 2004 film "Napoleon Dynamite" might have been irrevocably altered had it not been for some overbearing drill sergeants. When asked if he was really only paid $1,000 to star in Napoleon Dynamite, Heder said, "Initially." The positive word-of-mouth from fans really opened things up for Napoleon Dynamite, and once it caught on, it stayed around for quite a while. But it's definitely not for everyone you have to back off and understand the mood and general feel of the movie before you have the context to find the actions of the characters funny. This included the compensation the cast got for making the said film. The film's total worldwide gross revenue was $46,122,713. 2 How much money did Jon Heder make from Napoleon Dynamite? I thought I might just wing it [but] actually, Tina Majorino, who played Deb, she was a hip hop dance instructor for kids, so she had worked with choreography before. A despondent Pedro gives an unimpressive speech after discovering he is also required to perform a skit. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Taking into account the whole long weekend, Red Lights took top spot with an average of $17,802 in four theatres. Dyno Nobel manufactures a wide variety of packaged emulsion explosives including tube shells, paper wrapped emulsion and chubs for many mining explosive applications. Now that it has been ten years since it came out, will I like it like the first time, or has it aged poorly? Comedy Arts Festival the same year. The film was extremely low-budget with most of the cast consisting of the creators' own family and friends. Did Jon Heder Only Make $1,000 For 'Napoleon Dynamite'? It's really bothering me, can we re-shoot some of those? And then when Im throwing food at the llama, I was just laughing, I was actually throwing food at the llama, and we cut that out because there was not a clean shot.. [53], In April 2010, Fox announced that an animated series was in development, with the original cast reprising their roles. Why? Rico's ongoing sales scheme causes friction with Napoleon as he continues to spread embarrassing rumors about Napoleon to prospective customers. It was filmed on an estimated budget of a mere $400,000, and less than a year after its release, it had grossed $44,940,956. You love Godzilla because of the low-budget special effects, men in rubber suits, bad Japanese dubbing and monster fights! Sweet. Aaron Ruell (Kip) didn't continue as a professional actor for too much longer after his hit performance as Napoleon's brother. Napoleon Dynamite. It was filmed on an estimated budget of a mere $400,000, and less than a year after its release, it had grossed $44,940,956. Is it working? . Our solid understanding of the challenges our customers face allow us to provide a customized service that gives every client the products they need for a successful operation. This, of course, was due to the fact that the film only had a $400,000 budget to work with, which is basically nothing in the movie industry. Jon Hederwent from a virtually unknown actor to someone that the world was familiar with thanks to his iconic portrayal of the title character. For more information, please contact us at research@the-numbers.com. Predator with $11,279 per theatre. Jon Heder was paid $1,000 to play Napoleon Dynamite. Of course, the entire project was destined to fail or succeed on the strength of its title character, Napoleon Dynamite, played to perfection by Jon Heder. This movie is very different, it's own style and it is PURE GENIUS. "Napoleon Dynamite" has grossed over $46 million on a $400,000 budget, making it one of the more successful indie films ever released. A++ nice packing too - very budget friendly & could not be passed up! The 2004 cult hit was made for only $400,000 and went on to make more than $45 million worldwide. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. marketing done on its behalf and I saw only a couple previews on television for it when it was in the theaters - but Napoleon Dynamite is a great example . This, of course, was my first interaction with a studio at all, so they flew out a hand model a couple weeks later, who had great hands but was five or six shades darker than Jon Heder. 9. The co-director, Jared Hess, knew that Jon Heder liked to dance in real life so he asked him to come up with the moves himself. Can you believe its been 10 years since Napoleon Dynamite first won us over with his mad skills? And it is VERY funny. To that song and another Jamiroquai song, Little L. We danced to Michael Jackson, something off of Off the Wall. The film stars Jon Heder in the role of the titular character, a nerdy high-school student who deals with several dilemmas: befriending an immigrant who wants to be class president, awkwardly pursuing a romance with a fellow student, and living with his quirky family. The plot was at once absurdly unique and comfortably familiar. He did agree to chew the meat in his scenes, but never swallowed, either spitting the steak into a napkin when wiping his mouth or taking it out with his hands quickly and dropping it on the ground. [11] Heder was paid $1,000 for starring in the film, but successfully negotiated to receive more after the film became a runaway success. Its filled with quirky characters and awkward one-liners that helped the film earn a place in pop culture. See production, box office & company info, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. I was busting up when Rex was doing his scene. GOSH! They moved my teeth.. The yearly comparison is not as bright with 2004 down more than 25% from the same weekend last year. In 2004, Napoleon Dynamite was a small independent film that earned buzz at the Sundance Film Festival and was picked up by MTV films. [1] This is the original stated budget, though some reports indicate that once Fox Searchlight picked up the rights, they paid for a bit of. The quotable comedy film written and directed by Preston native Jared Hess became a surprise hit, earning $46.1 million at the box office on a budget of only $400,000. When you make a good reception at the film festival, distribution companies get interested and thats when you start making real money. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Heder was initially paid just $1,000 for the movie, but after it became a worldwide success, he renegotiated his contract and got a much bigger pay cheque. (Source: Looper). Dance scene: Napoleons epic dance routine towards the end of the movie is perhaps the films most iconic scene. Coming out on top was The Hunting of the President with $11,649 per theatre in its two theatres. Napoleon Dynamite. Cookies help us deliver our Services. The movie's low budget meant most of the extras and bit parts featured Preston residents, some of them longtime friends of Hess. When youre shooting in independent film, you dont know what youre going to get the rights to. Napoleon Dynamite. Heres what you never knew about the cult hit. With quirky characters and awkward one-liners that helped the film earn a place pop. & company info, Talladega Nights: the Ballad of Ricky Bobby There are some!, Talladega Nights: the Ballad of Ricky Bobby bothering me, can we re-shoot some of these cookies visitors! 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