Jon Heder has a message for fans of his most notable role: There’s more stuff.
After years of being quoted, imitated and tied so closely to the Moon-Booted, socially awkward character, Heder is ready to re-enter the quirky world in Fox’s “Napoleon Dynamite,” premiering tonight at 8:30 on WFXT (Ch. 25).
Producers Jared Hess and Mike Scully have assembled the original film cast to reprise their roles in this animated version. Aaron Ruell voices Napoleon’s brother Kip, Efren Ramirez returns as Pedro and Jon Gries is back as the inept, scheming Uncle Rico, among others.
“I was excited,” Heder told the Herald about the revival. “We always talked from the beginning about doing something — whether it be a sequel or an animated or a live-action, but I was excited because I’m finally able to tell fans, ‘Yes, we’re making more stuff.’ I was just really excited to get back into the character and get back with everybody involved with the film.”
In the years since the 2004 film — for which he was reportedly paid $1,000 — Heder has lensed a few big-screen movies, voiced characters in animated features, appeared in a handful of TV shows and even aped himself as “Napoleon Bonemite” in an episode of “Robot Chicken.”
Though it’s been seven years since he supported Pedro’s candidacy for class president and took a few Rex Kwan Do lessons, Heder found he was able to drop back into Napoleon’s skin.
“I remember when we did the movie, it was a very relaxing film to do because it’s just like you’re resting,” he said. “You can hide behind your eyelids and you just kind of rest your voice. He doesn’t have to scream that much. But it has been fun and interesting because all that works for a movie. But for the lead character in an ongoing animated series, I’ve had to show way more emotional range in this role than I ever have in anything else I’ve ever done.”
The animated series is set before the film, allowing viewers to watch Kip struggle with his online dating efforts (though producers say Kip’s betrothed, LaFawnduh, will become part of the show in the future). Flashbacks will show Uncle Rico’s ill-fated football game against State — the point at which his life’s trajectory began hurtling him toward a future living in an orange van.
For fans of the film, these are familiar concepts. Yet, through animation, the characters will be allowed to grow in a way they couldn’t in a live-action presentation, Heder said.
“They are all so very different and cover so many aspects of this weird and quirky world that was created for the film,” he said.
