<Tr> <Th> Budget </Th> <Td> US $2.5 million </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Box office </Th> <Td> US $23.2 million </Td> </Tr> <P> Hunt for the Wilderpeople is a 2016 New Zealand adventure comedy - drama film written and directed by Taika Waititi, whose screenplay was based on the book Wild Pork and Watercress by Barry Crump . Carthew Neal, Leanne Saunders, Matt Noonan, and Waititi produced the film . Sam Neill and Julian Dennison play "Uncle" Hector and Ricky Baker, a father figure and son who become the targets of a manhunt after fleeing into the New Zealand bush . </P> <P> The film premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival on 22 January 2016 . The film opened across New Zealand on 31 March 2016 . The film received a limited North American release on 24 June 2016 . </P>

Where does hunt for the wilderpeople take place