New Zealand’s highest-grossing local film celebrates its tenth anniversary with a theatrical re-release and a new industry-wide campaign championing Aotearoa stories on the big screen.

By Seraphina Hughes
Arts, Literature, and Cultural Criticism Writer
Zealandia News

March 31, 2026 — AUCKLAND

A decade after it first charmed audiences and became a cultural phenomenon, Hunt for the Wilderpeople returns to New Zealand cinemas today. The film’s tenth anniversary re-release coincides with the launch of a new industry-wide tribute to local cinema, voiced by the film’s star, Sir Sam Neill, in a campaign that underscores the deep value of New Zealand stories.

The 30-second tribute, produced by the New Zealand Film Producers Alliance (NZFPA) with the support of Spada and the New Zealand Film Commission, will screen in front of the Easter theatrical re-release of Taika Waititi’s beloved film. The campaign marks a rare moment of sector-wide unity, with industry organisations from development, production, exhibition, and archiving joining together to champion local cinema.

“This 30-second tribute highlights how cinema shows us who we are and who we want to be,” an NZFPA spokesperson said. “New Zealand’s screen industry stands behind its local films and believes in the importance of getting them in front of audiences.”

A Decade of Wilderpeople

When Hunt for the Wilderpeople was released in March 2016, few could have predicted the scale of its success. The film, adapted from Barry Crump’s beloved book Wild Pork and Watercress, told the story of Ricky Baker — a defiant city kid placed with a gruff foster uncle in the bush — and became an instant classic. It remains New Zealand’s highest-grossing local film at the box office, a record that has held for a full decade.

The film’s blend of humour, heart, and quintessential New Zealand landscape struck a chord with audiences across the country and around the world. Its lines entered the vernacular — “Skux life,” “Majestical,” and the now-iconic Ricky Baker birthday song — and its portrayal of the bush, the Ureweras, and the makeshift family at the story’s heart cemented it as a touchstone of modern Kiwi identity.

To mark the anniversary, the cast and creative team will reunite in Auckland for a celebration this evening. A Q&A session will be streamed into participating cinemas nationwide, allowing audiences to join the reunion from their local theatres. Screenings will continue over the Easter holidays, with school groups attending for free as part of the Square Eyes Screen Foundation outreach programme. A parliamentary screening scheduled for Thursday April 2 will also have students in attendance.

Industry Unity for Local Cinema

The tribute campaign launched alongside the re-release is itself a significant development for New Zealand’s screen sector. The NZFPA, a collective of more than 50 independent film producers, formed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and has since become a unified voice advocating for the local industry. The group now gathers regularly to share information, meet with NZ Film Commission staff, and work toward increasing funding for local films.

The tribute clip — voiced by Sir Sam Neill, who is known internationally for his role in Jurassic Park but is equally beloved in Aotearoa for his long-standing commitment to local storytelling — will be made freely available for other New Zealand films to use. The ambition, organisers say, is that it inspires further versions over time, building into an ongoing, evolving statement of identity from Aotearoa’s film culture.

The campaign builds on the NZ Film Commission’s kaupapa of honouring the heritage of New Zealand storytelling while supporting creativity and ambition in local filmmaking. It also aligns with Spada’s #LoveLocal initiative, which celebrates local production across film and television. At the end of the tribute, the logos of participating industry organisations appear in a visible and unified show of sector-wide support.

The State of New Zealand Film

The anniversary arrives at a moment of both optimism and challenge for New Zealand’s screen industry. The sector has seen significant international productions drawn to the country by the New Zealand Screen Production Rebate, with major studios filming in Auckland, Wellington, and locations across the motu. Yet local filmmakers have long faced challenges securing funding and distribution for New Zealand stories, competing for attention and screen space with international blockbusters.

The success of Hunt for the Wilderpeople — which was made on a modest budget and went on to outperform many of those blockbusters — remains a touchstone for what is possible. It demonstrated that local stories, told with authenticity and heart, could not only compete but triumph at the box office. Its endurance across a decade, still regularly quoted and revisited, speaks to something deeper: a hunger for stories that reflect the particularities of life in Aotearoa.

Industry advocates hope the tenth anniversary and the accompanying tribute campaign will reignite conversations about the importance of local cinema. The NZFPA has been looking for ways to increase funding for local films, and with outreach to other guilds and organisations growing, the industry is increasingly unified in its advocacy.

A Legacy on Screen and Beyond

Hunt for the Wilderpeople launched or elevated the careers of several key figures in New Zealand film. Julian Dennison, who played Ricky Baker, went on to international success, appearing in Deadpool 2 and a string of other projects. Taika Waititi, already known for Boy and What We Do in the Shadows, used the film’s international success as a springboard to Hollywood, directing Thor: Ragnarok and winning an Academy Award for Jojo Rabbit.

But the film’s legacy is perhaps most visible in the way it continues to be claimed by generations of New Zealanders. For many, it was the first local film they saw in cinemas. For others, it remains a comfort watch, a reminder of the bush, the humour, and the makeshift families that characterise life in Aotearoa.

As the tribute voiced by Sir Sam Neill begins its run in cinemas, and as audiences young and old return to the story of Ricky Baker and his Uncle Hec, the industry’s message is clear: local stories matter. They reflect who we are, and they shape who we want to become.

In Brief

Ten years after its release, Hunt for the Wilderpeople returns to New Zealand cinemas today with a theatrical re-release and a new industry tribute voiced by Sir Sam Neill. The campaign, supported by the NZ Film Producers Alliance, Spada, and the NZ Film Commission, aims to champion local cinema and will run in front of screenings across the country over the Easter holidays. With school groups attending for free and a parliamentary screening planned for Thursday, the anniversary serves as both a celebration of one of New Zealand’s most beloved films and a statement of intent from a screen industry united in its commitment to local storytelling.