Hunt for the Wilderpeople
“Nature just got gangster.”
Synopsis
Ricky is a defiant young city kid who finds himself on the run with his cantankerous foster uncle in the wild New Zealand bush. A national manhunt ensues, and the two are forced to put aside their differences and work together to survive.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
10 Year Anniversary | Official 4K TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2026-05-28
Top Cast
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Sam Neill
Hec
Julian Dennison
Ricky
Rima Te Wiata
Bella
Rachel House
Paula
Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne
Kahu
Oscar Kightley
Andy
Stan Walker
Ron
Mike Minogue
Joe
Cohen Holloway
Hugh
Rhys Darby
Psycho Sam
Troy Kingi
TK
Taika Waititi
Minister
Hamish Parkinson
Gavin
Stu Giles
Sick Man
Lloyd Scott
Tourist
Selina Woulfe
Organ Player
Mabelle Dennison
Church Lady
Sonia Spyve
Court Lawyer
Release History & Theatrical Window
Sundance Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
June 24, 2016
Wide Cinema Exhibition
September 27, 2016
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$2.5M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$23.9M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
9.56x
+$21.4M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Taika Waititi
- Screenplay & Story
- Taika Waititi
- Original Score
- Lukasz Pawel Buda, Conrad Wedde, Samuel Scott
- Original Title
- Hunt for the Wilderpeople
- Country of Origin
- New Zealand, United Kingdom
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 41m
- Production Budget
- $2.5M
- Worldwide Gross
- $23.9M
- Production Studios
- Defender Films, Piki Films, Curious Films
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Taika Waititi
Taika Waititi, Barry Crump
Lukasz Pawel Buda, Conrad Wedde, Samuel Scott
Lachlan Milne
Tom Eagles, Luke Haigh, Yana Gorskaya
Carthew Neal, Leanne Saunders, Matt Noonan, Charlie McClellan, Taika Waititi
Department Leadership Roster
Taika Waititi
Screenplay
Taika Waititi
Director
Carthew Neal
Producer
Kristin Seth
Costume Design
Tom Eagles
Editor
Leanne Saunders
Producer
Neville Stevenson
Production Design
Matt Noonan
Producer
Luke Haigh
Editor
Lachlan Milne
Director of Photography
Yana Gorskaya
Editor
Lukasz Pawel Buda
Original Music Composer
Conrad Wedde
Original Music Composer
Samuel Scott
Original Music Composer
Taika Waititi
Producer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG-13: Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
International Certification Matrix
Parental Guidance — Recommended for mature viewers.
FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Tous publics — Universal audience.
12 Accompanied — Under 12s must be accompanied by an adult.
Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Hunt for the Wilderpeople.
Featured In Curated Collections
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Frequently Asked Questions About Hunt for the Wilderpeople
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Hunt for the Wilderpeople about?
Ricky is a defiant young city kid who finds himself on the run with his cantankerous foster uncle in the wild New Zealand bush. A national manhunt ensues, and the two are forced to put aside their differences and work together to survive.
Who directed Hunt for the Wilderpeople?
Hunt for the Wilderpeople was directed by Taika Waititi.
Who stars in Hunt for the Wilderpeople?
The principal cast of Hunt for the Wilderpeople includes Sam Neill, Julian Dennison, Rima Te Wiata, Rachel House, Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne.
When was Hunt for the Wilderpeople released and how long is it?
Hunt for the Wilderpeople was released in 2016 with a total runtime of 1h 41m.
What was the box office and production budget of Hunt for the Wilderpeople?
Hunt for the Wilderpeople had a reported production budget of $2.5M and grossed $23.9M at the worldwide box office (9.56 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for Hunt for the Wilderpeople?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Hunt for the Wilderpeople was composed by Lukasz Pawel Buda, Conrad Wedde, Samuel Scott.
Is Hunt for the Wilderpeople based on a book or true story?
Hunt for the Wilderpeople is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Barry Crump".
What is the age rating and content advisory for Hunt for the Wilderpeople?
Hunt for the Wilderpeople holds official age classifications: AU: PG (Parental Guidance — Recommended for mature viewers.); DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); FR: U (Tous publics — Universal audience.); GB: 12A (12 Accompanied — Under 12s must be accompanied by an adult.); US: PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.).