It is no secret that Napoleon Dynamite was shot for just about as little money as possible $400,000, according to Box Office Mojo. I just assumed that wed be able to Hollywood it up and there would be some temporary things Id put in while we were shooting and Id just kind of take them out, Ruell said. He renegotiated his salary after the film went on to make more than $46 million. Because Gries is a vegetarian in real life. The first pictures of the actor, 50, in the role of the classic villain show him with long, unkempt greying hair and a thick moustache. It all worked out great, though, and was a lot of fun. Its filled with quirky characters and awkward one-liners that helped the film earn a place in pop culture. Gone with the Wind (Budget: $3.9 million; Revenue: $390 million): 4,906.73% 16. "[39] In a mixed review, The New York Times praised Heder's performance and the "film's most interesting quality, which is its stubborn, confident, altogether weird individuality", while criticizing the film's resolution that comes "too easily. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". [57], The term "The Napoleon Dynamite Problem" has been used to describe the phenomenon where "quirky" films such as Napoleon Dynamite, Lost in Translation and I Heart Huckabees prove difficult for researchers to create algorithms that are able to predict whether or not a particular viewer will like the film based on their ratings of previously viewed films. [58], For several years the city of Preston held a "Napoleon Dynamite Festival" in the summer. Shot on a meager budget in Preston, Idaho, the hometown of director Jared Hess (who co-wrote the film with his . This is the moment where everything comes, and he's making the sacrifice for his friend. . This movie is very different, it's own style and it is PURE GENIUS. Keep the budget low, just hire some good writers, shoot it with cheap equipment and it'd probably do really, really well. [8], Peluca was shown at the 2003 Slamdance Film Festival[9] and was well received. Released on August 27, 2004, the low-budget Napoleon Dynamite was the first feature-length film from Jared Hess and became a box-office success. Xander Raith. I was busting up when Rex was doing his scene. It is no secret that Napoleon Dynamite was shot for just about as little money as possible $400,000, according to Box Office Mojo. Directed by 25-year-old Jared Hess (from a script he wrote with his wife, Jerusha) and starring a cast . 1 How much was the budget for Napoleon Dynamite? By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. And quite painful for that first week. [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. Coming in first was Maria Full of Grace with a weekend take of $139,066 in just 7 theatres for an average of $19,867. Heder was paid just $1,000 to play Napoleon Dynamite, and only after the film's success re-negotiated and received a cut of its profits. When the film became a surprise sleeper hit, grossing at $46 million, Jon eventually earned a cut of the movie's earned profits. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". We were like "WHAT?!". Synopsis In small-town Preston, Idaho, awkward teen Napoleon Dynamite has trouble fitting in. The production cut out on a lot of corners. hope to do business again soon. That film is the DVD Pick of the Week. When Napoleon is waiting in the van for Uncle Rico to take him to the dance, he looks at his watch. Those of us that are old enough to remember living through this area are no doubt aware of the fact that you simply could not get away from this movie and its catchphrases during the time. more_vert. This included the compensation the cast got for making the said film. All times AEDT (GMT +11). Jared (Hess) and I were really pining for Jamiroquai. . The film was extremely low-budget with most of the cast consisting of the creators own family and friends. Domestic gross $107.6 million. From 'The Blair Witch Project' to 'Napoleon Dynamite,' here are some low-budget movies that made big box office bucks. It was picked up by Fox Searchlight, Twentieth-Century Fox's classics division, and went on to gross $44.5 million in domestic box office alone, making instant celebrities of Hess and its stars. Napoleon Dynamite star Jon Heder has revealed he was given a shockingly low pay cheque for his role in the film. But they were like, No, Jon, just figure it out. The trial began on June 19, 2012. By Jeffrey Speicher Dec 31, 2022. After his grandmother is injured in an accident, his life is made even worse when his strangely nostalgic uncle, Rico, shows up to keep an eye on him. At the time, director Jared Hess was still in his early twenties. A sequel would be too high budget and I . Next:Jon Heder First Got Paid $1000 For Napoleon Dynamite, Now Hes An Iconic Actor. This helps sell their film. The documentary Metallica: Some Kind of Monster, which some are describing as a real life Spinal Tap, pulled in $46,359 in three theatres for an average of $15,453. And then we got the rights to Jamiroquai. And it is VERY funny. Making a movie on that tight of a budget means making some. Though there is no LDS content more . 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. ' Majorina was thrilled and headed to a store to buy as many Jamiroquai albums as possible.. I've seen you boogie; it's pretty sweet,'" recalled Heder. And I think that was half our budget.. [13] Among the established actors in the cast was comedy veteran Diedrich Bader, who filmed his scenes as virile martial art instructor Rex in one day. "[46] The film was on several year-end lists. So I just winged it. More Only two films topped $10,000 per theatre this weekend, and they were at opposite ends of the release spectrum. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Between drawing ligers and practicing his sweet dance moves, quirky teen Napoleon makes the most out of high school and life with his eccentric family. 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. MTV pushed the film hard and it worked, as the film earned more than $40 million starting in limited release. Did Jon Heder Only Make $1,000 For 'Napoleon Dynamite'? More None of the new films could live up to expectations, but the holdovers held up better than expected, especially as you went farther down the list. A few months later, I watched it a second time and I wasn't as impressed. John Heder originally got paid $1,000 to play Napoleon, however, after the film's wide success his contract was renegotiated. . "We thought Jamiroquai might be expensive. 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. This included Jon Heder, who received only $1,000 to star in Napoleon Dynamite. 400,000 USD Napoleon Dynamite/Budget. They kept trying to attack my cousins, what the heck would you do in a situation like that? While Heder has never opted to discuss what his final earnings for Napoleon Dynamite were, he was without any doubt paid a great deal more for the projects he landed later. Maybe somebody told him the name and he truly feels that he came to it by chance. Heck yes! Napoleon Dynamite Budget: $400,000. Most of the situations in the movie are loosely based on the life of Jared Hess. Here are some things you never knew about the film and the frizzy-haired hero: Jon Heders salary: Napoleons salary for the film wasnt exactly dynamite. The brainchild of then 25-year-old, fresh-out-of film-school grad Jared Hess, the $400,000-budgeted Napoleon Dynamite went from Sundance darling to mainstream success story, grossing almost $50. Thats exactly what happened with the Napoleon Dynamite. When speaking with SAG Indie, Jon Heder would open up about the process of making the film and how he wound up landingthe role of Napoleon. If you've seen th. It seems like everywhere you went, someone was wearing a Vote for Pedro shirt or someone was outright quoting the movie in a conversation. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. . But when the filming for Napoleon Dynamite was complete, Jon was paid $1000. . There were two scenes where I had difficulty staying in character which was the Rex Kwon Do scene, Heder said in an interview. He knew the films potential and at the end of the day, it made more that what they expected. In this case, I chose to purchase: The Napoleon Dynamite DVD (since Hezekiah loved it so much). In addition, a bronze statue of Napoleon Dynamite, complete with tetherball, was placed at the 20th Century Fox studio lot.[30][31]. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. With a shoestring budget, offbeat characters, and a largely-unknown cast, indie comedy "Napoleon Dynamite" is one of Hollywood's most surprising success stories. Indie films and quirky comedies have almost become synonymous, and Napoleon Dynamite is a great example. I danced three times and they took the best pieces from each of those. What Disney Movies Were the Least Profitable? In 2004,Napoleon Dynamite premiered, and no one expected the response that followed. To increase their respect by demonstrating "skills," Napoleon and Pedro enter a Future Farmers of America competition, grading milk and cow udders. Why? Since it was unclear if that was what he was paid in total. So is True Detective: Season One on DVD or Blu-ray. The films conclusion works its way up to a dance scene that has gone down in pop culture history. 2004 | Maturity rating: 12 | Comedies. Everything leads up to this. Taking into account the whole long weekend, Red Lights took top spot with an average of $17,802 in four theatres. "Napoleon Dynamite" was the breakout hit of the 2004 Sundance Film Festival, where it was sold to Fox Searchlight for nearly $5 million. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. I think it would be an interesting development in their lives. [10] Hess sent the short film and the script to a variety of different casting directors, many of whom thought that the idea was "too weird or they just didn't like the character," Hess explained. [32], Despite a very limited initial release, Napoleon Dynamite was a commercial success. That's the whole theme of the movie. I wasn't great but I did like to mess around Cut to two years later: after we had shot the short, they were like, 'Okay we're going to have you dancing in the movie as the climax. The story ofNapoleon Dynamite is definitely one of a surprise hit. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. The love/hate reactions I've seen do not surprise me at all. It does not store any personal data. So, how much money did Jon Heder make to play in Napoleon Dynamite? These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. "[19], Upon the film's release, it was noted that the name "Napoleon Dynamite" had originally been used by musician Elvis Costello, most visibly on his 1986 album Blood & Chocolate,[21] although he had used the pseudonym on a single B-side as early as 1982. Napoleon Dynamite This 2004 cult classic may have the smallest budget of any film on our list, costing filmmakers only $400,000. As of last weekend this year is ahead $6.712 billion to $6.450 billion, just 4% ahead. Rico's ongoing sales scheme causes friction with Napoleon as he continues to spread embarrassing rumors about Napoleon to prospective customers. Predator with $11,279 per theatre. Budget: $35,000. Eight months after the film was completed, the title sequence was filmed in cinematographer Munn Powell's basement. When asked if he was really only paid $1,000 to star in Napoleon Dynamite, Heder said, "Initially." Jon Heder did not make much for Napoleon Dynamite,but whatthe film did do for him was open up a ton of doors to a lucrative acting career. 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. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. In Napoleon Dynamite, Pedro is the . This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. What was the budget for Napoleon Dynamite? This is going to make or break the film. 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. 25 Tracks 313223 Views Dumb and Dumber Soundboard. Napoleon Dynamite: Yes, like 50 of 'em! (They may have forgotten to change the date on the watch -- how many school dances are in July?) Much like most comedy films in the early 2000s, Napoleon Dynamite is about a teenagers struggle with the dynamics of school cliques, popularity and an odd family. Jon Hederwent from a virtually unknown actor to someone that the world was familiar with thanks to his iconic portrayal of the title character. Nationwide News Pty Ltd 2023. Some guy dancing with her patted the sleeves and actually said, 'I like your sleeves they're real big,"' Hess said in an interview with Rolling Stone.[8]. Budget: $15,000. Sweet. Yes, Napoleon Dynamite was the sleeper hit of the year, which is why it's so surprising to learn that reportedly, the star initially only banked $1,000 for his role. An unlikely friendship with new kid Pedro pushes Napoleon out of his comfort zone as he puts his all into getting Pedro elected class president, running against the popular and mean Summer. Brendan Fraser has revealed harrowing details of how he almost choked to death while filming the hit 1999 action film. [27], In May 2012, Fox went to trial after failing to win a summary judgment on the case. So I just winged it. [16] One scene is set at a school dance that plays only 1980s music such as Alphaville's "Forever Young," whereas an earlier scene features students performing a sign language rendition of "The Rose" (1980) sung by Bette Midler. [50][51] Heder stated that he is interested in a darker take on the film's characters instead of rehashing the original film's plot: I feel like the future for Napoleon would be a lot more raw and edgy. The clues are everywhere. For the television series based on the film, see. This kind of budgetary consideration was important for the film because they didnt have a lot of money to play with. Budget - $400,000. A listless and alienated teenager decides to help his new friend win the class presidency in their small western high school, while he must deal with his bizarre family life back home. Hes an Iconic Actor the title character dance, he looks at watch. N'T as impressed very different, it 's pretty sweet, ' '' recalled Heder to:. From Jared Hess PURE GENIUS was n't as impressed 1 how much money did Heder... And repeat visits box-office success 8 ], in may 2012, Fox napoleon dynamite budget to trial failing! 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