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Where Was Napoleon Dynamite Shot

Created by husband-and-wife team Jared and Jerusha Hess as their debut film, 2004’s “Napoleon Dynamite” quickly became a cult classic. The movie focuses on the titular character, an awkward and nerdy teen with a memorable perm played by Jon Heder. Napoleon navigates the challenges of his daily life with quirky and hilariously quotable aplomb. If you’re now wondering, “Where was “Napoleon Dynamite” filmed?” then no worries — we’ll get to that soon!

Much of the movie was heavily based on Jared’s experiences growing up in Preston, Idaho. Hess has stated, “The character of Napoleon was a hybrid of all the most nerdy and awkward parts of me and my brothers growing up.” That authenticity comes through and makes for a truly hilarious film that was not only extraordinarily and unexpectedly popular when it was released, but also remains widely beloved today.

Amazingly, although the movie only cost $400,000 to make, it has grossed more than $45 million since it was released, according to Fantastic Facts. Like several other movies of the era (“Little Miss Sunshine” comes to mind), it’s the quintessential example of a low-budget, independent film that broke through into the mainstream to become a major blockbuster.

Was it actually filmed in the location where the events of the movie were set? Discover where “Napoleon Dynamite” was filmed and unique locations that are similar to those of Preston, Idaho, that you can easily rent for yourself through Peerspace, the most extensive online marketplace for hourly rentals of all kinds of spaces.

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Where was “Napoleon Dynamite” filmed?

“Napoleon Dynamite” feels so authentic because not only is it set in Jared Hess’ hometown of Preston, Idaho, a tiny town with a population of around 5,000, it was actually filmed there as well in July 2003. According to Tucson.com, the release of the comedy “put this farm town near the Utah border on the map.” In addition, the movie “generated $1 million for Preston, according to the chamber of commerce, one of the first to bill the town as a destination for ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ aficionados.”

Preston High School

Because Napoleon’s character is a high school student, much of the film takes place at his school. These scenes were actually filmed at the real Preston High School. The school was the location for both interior and exterior shots of the high school throughout the film.

Jared Hess himself graduated from Preston High School in 1997. For instance, this hilarious scene where the “Happy Hands Club” performs was filmed in one of the school’s classrooms. So was this famous scene where a bully tries to force Napoleon to hand over his tater tots.

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