How Idaho’s Cult Classic “Napoleon Dynamite” Came to Be

While Idaho seems to be a favorite destination for celebrities to visit, there have only been a few things filmed in the gem state. (More on that below) In 2004 a unique comedy come out and took the nation by storm. It was a hard movie to ignore. For at least a decade I still saw people occasionally rocking the 'vote for pedro' shirts. If you have not seen it, Napoleon Dynamite is about a super awkward teenager navigating home and high school in a small town.

The goofy and silly cult classic got a lot of attention. Pretty much the entire movie was filmed in Preston, Idaho. Something that the town is obviously proud of. The Napoleon Dynamite movie cost about $400,000 to make and made over $44 million just in the United States.

According to The Preston Idaho Chamber of Commerce website, "The film’s creators, Jared and Jerusha Hess are from Preston where Jared went to high school. Preston held Napoleon Dynamite Festival for several summers to celebrate Napoleon Dynamite. The festival included Tater Tot Eating Contests, Tetherball Tournaments, Moon Boot Dances, Look-A-Like Contests and The Happy Hands Club performances."

Preston to this day still sees visitors who are fans of the movie and want to see the locations where scenes where filmed. Although it is nothing like it was in the first few year following the movies release. Preston High School was one main place featured in the film and had visitors for years.

According to Snopes "The State of Idaho passed a resolution commending Jared and Jerusha Hess for the production of their film Napoleon Dynamite."

For the fans, the fun is not over. A kind of behind the scenes documentary recently surfaced. "On Location Napoleon Dynamite" shows the making of the film and what it took to get everything just right. The conversations, ins and outs of practicing scenes and more. Check it out followed by other movies filmed in Idaho and celebs you are most likely to run into in the state.

Scroll to see other movies that have been filmed in Idaho followed by the Celebrities you are most likely to run into in the gem state.