<Tr> <Th> Box office </Th> <Td> $46.1 million </Td> </Tr> <P> Napoleon Dynamite is a 2004 American comedy film produced by Jeremy Coon, Chris Wyatt, Sean Covel and Jory Weitz, written by Jared and Jerusha Hess and directed by Jared Hess . The film stars Jon Heder in the role of the title character, for which he was paid $1,000 . After the film's runaway success, Heder re-negotiated his compensation and received a cut of the profits . The film was Jared Hess' first full - length feature and is partially adapted from his earlier short film, Peluca . Napoleon Dynamite was acquired at the Sundance Film Festival by Fox Searchlight Pictures and Paramount Pictures, in association with MTV Films . It was filmed in and near Franklin County, Idaho in the summer of 2003 . It debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2004 . The film's total worldwide gross revenue was $46,118,097 . The film has since developed a cult following . </P> <P> Napoleon Dynamite is a socially awkward 16 - year - old boy from Preston, Idaho, who lives with his grandmother, Carlinda Dynamite, and his older brother, Kipling Ronald "Kip" Dynamite . Kip, 32, is unemployed and boasts of spending hours on Internet chat rooms with his girlfriends and aspiring to be a cage fighter . Napoleon daydreams his way through school, doodling ligers and fantasy creatures and reluctantly deals with the various bullies who torment him, particularly the obnoxious sports jock, Don . Napoleon likes to make up stories about himself and his outlandish "skills" while having a sullen and aloof personality . </P> <P> Napoleon's grandmother breaks her coccyx in a quad - bike accident and asks their Uncle Rico to look after the boys while she recovers . Rico, a middle - aged and flirtatious steak - loving former athlete who lives in a campervan, treats Napoleon like a child . He uses the visiting opportunity to team up with Kip in a get - rich - quick scheme to sell numerous items door - to - door . Kip wants money to visit his Internet girlfriend LaFawnduh while Rico believes riches will help him get over his failed dreams of NFL stardom and his recent breakup with his girlfriend . </P>

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