“A Minecraft Movie” achieved monumental success at the box office, amassing a staggering $955 million and receiving widespread acclaim from audiences, resulting in an in-theater frenzy that caused quite a stir in cinemas. This triumph represents a significant leap from the beginnings of its director, Jared Hess. However, “A Minecraft Movie” isn’t Hess’s first venture into the unconventional. Film enthusiasts may recall Hess’s debut film, “Napoleon Dynamite,” released in 2004. This movie captivated the indie scene’s attention and became a cultural touchstone like few others.

Before immersing himself in the expansive fictional realm of “Minecraft,” populated with quirky and peculiar characters, Hess had already crafted similarly eccentric narratives on a smaller scale with “Napoleon Dynamite.” Now available for streaming on HBO Max, this film turned into an independent sensation, grossing $46 million at the box office on a modest $400,000 budget, and became an instant fan favorite. It even spawned its own memes during the nascent phase of online culture in the early 2000s.

While not achieving the colossal box office success of “A Minecraft Movie,” it’s fair to claim that “Napoleon Dynamite” wielded a comparable cultural influence that endures to this day.

“Napoleon Dynamite” laid the foundation for cringe comedy, blending the awkwardness reminiscent of Woody Allen with the outrageous misfit antics found in “Revenge of the Nerds.” The film’s narrative centers around the titular character, portrayed by Jon Heder, an eccentric individual from Preston, Idaho. His life is equally dismal at home as it is at school. With few friends and virtually no social life, Napoleon befriends Pedro, played by Efren Ramirez, a Mexican student with limited English proficiency, who embarks on a run for class president aided by Napoleon.

The film was a box office success for its genre, becoming a massive cult phenomenon when released on home video and cable. Its blend of uncomfortable humor and unique characters resonated with a generation of misunderstood young Millennials, containing nuances only adults might notice. The movie was popular among those actively engaged online, who traded emerging “memes”—like the iconic “Vote for Pedro” whenever voting was mentioned—and frequently used GIFs of Napoleon’s expressionless face as reactions in early internet forums.

Following the unexpected success of “Napoleon Dynamite,” Jared Hess gained brief recognition as a Hollywood “it” director. His subsequent project was “Nacho Libre,” an eccentric comedy starring Jack Black. However, it took nearly two decades before Hess reached blockbuster status again with “A Minecraft Movie.”

When audiences stepped into the theater to watch “A Minecraft Movie,” they no doubt expected plenty of references, nods, and homages to the game. But what they probably didn’t expect was a slew of Easter eggs that Hess tied back to “Napoleon Dynamite.”

One of the biggest and most obvious references Hess snuck into the film is the presence of tater tots, which quickly become a recurring theme. It’s Natalie’s (Emma Myers) favorite pizza topping, while Henry (Sebastian Hansen) later uses them as ammunition for his potato gun. “Napoleon Dynamite” fans recall that they were Napoleon’s favorite food, thanks to his Idaho upbringing — which is the same setting for the real-world portions of “A Minecraft Movie.” Llamas also play a role in both films, a striking nod that many fans of “Napoleon Dynamite” caught right away.

Director Jared Hess, who detailed plenty of other “Napoleon Dynamite” Easter eggs on his Instagram, also insists that some of the references weren’t always deliberate. “It’s all very personal,” he said in an interview with Variety. “It was kind of a convergence of so many things. Llamas are such funny, weird characters in the game. My mom’s llama was in ‘Napoleon Dynamite!'” Some fans even believe that the Easter eggs in “A Minecraft Movie” are more than mere references — and that the two movies are actually set in the same universe.