Napoleon Dynamite is a 2004 independent film co-written and directed by Jared Hess and Jerusha Hess and stars Jon Heder as the titular character. The film was Jared Hess's first full-length feature and is partially adapted from his earlier short film, Peluca.
Napoleon Dynamite was filmed in and near Preston, Idaho in the summer of 2003. It debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2004. In June 2004 it was given a limited release. Its wide release followed in August. The film's total domestic was US $44.5 million. Considering its budget of US $400,000, Napoleon Dynamite was a success, grossing over one hundred times its production cost.
The film is rated PG by the MPAA and by the television content rating system in the United States.
Preston, Idaho's most curious resident, Napoleon Dynamite (Heder), lives with his grandma and his 32-year-old brother (who cruises chat rooms for ladies) and works to help his best friend, Pedro (Efren Ramirez), snatch the Student Body President title from mean teen Summer Wheatley (Haylie Duff). Written by IMDb Editors
