Wilderpeople bigger than Batman v Superman

The Hunt for the Wilderpeople is bigger than Batman and Superman.

The local hit movie passed the double-superhero flick Dawn of Justice at the NZ box office on its third weekend and is on track to becoming the biggest movie at local cinemas in 2016 so far.

Director Taika Waititi's Wilderpeople has grossed $4,817,414 as of last weekend, passing Batman V Superman's total of $4,602,183, the Hollywood blockbuster having been on local screens now for four weekends.

Soon, the movie starring Julian Dennison and Sam Neill is likely to pass Deadpool's $5,180,874 NZ box office take, accrued after ten weeks at Kiwi cinemas making it the biggest release of 2016.

A scene from Hunt for the Wilderpeople directed by Taika Waititi starring Sam Neill, Julian Dennsion.

Wilderpeople's total also shifts it up the to fifth on the all-time top ten chart for NZ-made movies, pipping 2006's Sione's Wedding with its haul of $4,075,000.

Whale Rider's $6,400,000 is the next rung up the ladder with Waititi's Boy of 2010 the number one with $9,237,976.

Wilderpeople took $1,197,325 last weekend, a slight dip from the previous weekend's $1,324,274.

That is still more than twice as much as the nearest contender, Allegiant, which had a NZ opening box office of $430,974.

It's likely the PG-rated Wilderpeople will face some stiff competition when Disney's The Jungle Book opens tomorrow.

Though, given its momentum, a film of one kid, a couple of dogs, a couple of wild pigs and grumpy foster uncle in the NZ bush may still hold its own against a film of one kid and a menagerie of computer-animated talking animals in an ancient Asian jungle.

- nzherald.co.nz