Troy Kingi had a memorable cameo in Hunt for the Wilderpeople.

Hunt for the Wilderpeople has broken another New Zealand box office record.

On Thursday afternoon, the film surpassed previous record holders and garnered the title of 'highest opening week' after grossing $1,745,090 at the New Zealand Box Office.

The record was previously held by the Once Were Warriors sequel, What Becomes of the Broken Hearted, which opened in 1999, earning an impressive $1,244,412 during its first week in Kiwi cinemas.

SUPPLIED Actors Julian Dennison (left) and Sam Neill in the Taika Waititi film Hunt for the Wilderpeople.

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"If I were American I'd be doing a fist-pump and screaming 'We're number one! We're number one!'" said director Taika Waititi.

BEVAN READ/stuff.co.nz The red carpet became green with the outback themed premiere for the 'Hunt for the Wilderpeople' at Sylvia park.

"But I'm a Kiwi, so I'll pretend it's not really a big deal and just stand around looking embarrassed by the achievement. Ah screw it, I'll allow myself one fist-pump."

Independent cinemas around the country rallied behind the film's release, holding a staggering 30.72 per cent share over the film's audience over its opening weekend.

"On average, independent cinemas account for 20 per cent of the New Zealand box office and Boy and What We Do In The Shadows over performed with 22 per cent and 25 per cent respectively," the film's promoters said in a statement on Thursday.

Taika Waititi introduces The Hunt For The Wilderpeople.

Waititi's Wilderpeople proved a hit at Gisborne's Odeon Theatre, with the cinema even requesting their programmer "add more time between sessions" due to the rapid interest in the film.

Wilderpeople pulled in a record-breaking $14.4k screen average for the regional cinema, box office statistics that were mirrored around the country.

"We had our biggest day since opening here in Upper Hutt this past Saturday in large part due to this film," said a spokesperson for the Monterey Cinema in Upper Hutt.

"This afternoon we have had two guys stop in Timaru just to see the film," said a spokesperson for Moviemaxx Cinemas in Timaru.

"They are travelling from the North Island, through the South Island, on motorcycles. Throughout the weekend they received a number of messages from family who have seen the film and loved it, leading them to make a special stop with us this afternoon."

Both Monterey Cinema in Upper Hutt and State Cinema in Motueka claimed they'd had their "best ever numbers" on record during Wilderpeople's opening week.

"(Movie-goers) are locals coming out of their comfort zone, retired folk, making the effort on their stick and in wheel chairs to visit us, some never been to the cinema for years," said a spokesperson from State Cinema, Motueka.



"People love it and we are still getting claps after claps, at each screening - it's difficult to get them to leave as they want to chat all the bloody time."

Hunt for the Wilderpeople, which stars Kiwi film veteran Sam Neill and newcomer Julian Dennison, announced the release of the film's soundtrack, available on both iTunes and Google Play from April 8.

The soundtrack was written, performed and produced by the group Moniker and features the collaborative efforts of Lukasz Buda, Samuel Scott, Conrad Wedde​.

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