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Library/Film/Napoleon Dynamite
Grade B13 sourcesHIS-01372

Napoleon Dynamite

Film · 2004 · Notable

57Editable slideCertificate

A $400,000 film spread through screenings, quoted dialogue and Vote for Pedro shirts.

Trailer · YouTube Movies on YouTube
Clip · Karsten Runquist on YouTube
Napoleon Dynamite theatrical poster
Searchlight Pictures
Jon Heder as Napoleon in the trailer
YouTube Movies on YouTube
The cast at Sundance in 2024, 20 years on
Sundance Institute
Napoleon and Pedro, in a Vote for Pedro shirt
Paramount Pictures Germany
The cast at the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con panel
Gage Skidmore

Spread Score

How it works
Reach55Contagion45Breadth40VelocityNo data yetLongevity10057

Numbers

Worldwide theatrical gross, Mojo; includes rereleases
$46.1M
As of Oct 22, 2026 · Box Office Mojo
Seed to milestone
12 months
Jan 17 ’04 to Jan 7 ’05
Platforms
4
Started on Box office
Leverage
115×
$46.1M on $400K budget

Mechanics

  • CatchphrasePrimary
  • Identity badge
  • Underdog
  • Platform jump
  • Controversy

How it spread

Trace the origin

Searchlight promoted the film with merchandise and MTV ads. It grew into a $44.5 million domestic run. DVD viewing, quoted lines and Vote for Pedro shirts carried it into homes, schools and retail.

Documented milestone; not a measured attention peak.

Google searchesApr ’03Mar ’04AugFeb ’05JulNov ’07Jun ’10Oct ’12Jan ’15Mar ’18Jun ’21Apr ’24MilestoneBox officeRetailOpen webPress
Box officeRetailOpen webPress

9 more events on this chart

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Timeline (12)

  1. January 2004

    Jared and Jerusha Hess / Sundance seed · Jan 17 ’04

    Napoleon Dynamite premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.[1][2]

    Open the first post ↗

  2. Fox Searchlight Pictures commercial · Jan 18 ’04

    Searchlight agreed to acquire the film for $4.75 million the day after its premiere.[1][3]

  3. June 2004

    US and Canadian audiences commercial · Jun 11 ’04

    The film opened in six theaters and grossed $116,666 over its first weekend.[4][5]

  1. commercial · Week of Jul 23, 2004

  2. commercial · Week of Sep 3, 2004

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Why it worked

Do this

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3

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Origin
Mixed
Sector
Entertainment
Region
US
Worldwide theatrical gross, Mojo; includes rereleases
$46.1M
As of Oct 22, 2026 · Box Office Mojo
Evidence
Grade B

Spread the same way

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Bad Moms

STX Entertainment

A comedy about overworked mothers grossed at least $180 million worldwide.

$183.9M box office

1 / 8

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