The Christmas classic Elf nearly received the follow-up movie Elf 2, but the sequel was canceled before ever getting off the ground. Elf is now considered one of the most iconic Christmas movies of all time, but those involved didn’t necessarily think it would take off back in 2003. Will Ferrell worried Elf would ruin his film career before it had even started. Thankfully, Elf premiered with astounding success, bringing in over $220 million at the box office compared to its $33 million budget. With how remarkable Elf’s legacy has remained over the years, it’s not surprising the studio was eager to recruit Ferrell for an Elf sequel back in the day.
Elf was a surprising phenomenon, launching the former Saturday Night Live actor into bona fide movie stardom. While many consider Elf to be an untouchable classic, the iconic Christmas movie has inspired remakes on alternate media venues, such as the same-titled Broadway musical or 2014 animated special. Many have wondered why an Elf sequel never happened over the years due to its long-lived success, but the truth is that it originally did have one in the works shortly after the 2003 film’s release. Elf 2 was ultimately canceled, with the hesitation of star Will Ferrell primarily underscoring why it never happened.
How Much Will Ferrell Was Offered To Make Elf 2
An Elf sequel, poorly received or not, likely would have still brought in a similarly significant box office return for the studio, and enticing Will Ferrell with a healthy payday would have been the only way to achieve that. Sadly for the studio, Ferrell really didn’t believe in Elf 2, so he felt he couldn’t take the pay offer and promote the movie in good faith. Considering how much of a hit Elf was in 2003, it’s not surprising in the least that Will Ferrell was presented with a substantial payday for a sequel. Movie star and frequent Steve Carell collaborator Will Ferrell was offered $29 million to star in the already-written Elf 2, a salary that would be hard for any rising film actor to reject. It’s unknown how much other stars like James Caan and Mary Steenburgen would have been offered to return, but it’s doubtful it compared to what Will Ferrell could have brought home. While pretty high for a family-friendly kids’ movie sequel, Elf earned over $220 million at the box office in its official run, and a second movie would have never worked without Will Ferrell as Buddy the Elf.
James Caan Revealed Ferrell Didn’t Want Jon Favreau To Direct Elf 2
While Jon Favreau is better known today for his contributions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe through helming Iron Man and creating Disney+’s hit Star Wars series The Mandalorian, he also directed one of the most beloved Christmas movies of all time. When approached with the opportunity for an Elf sequel, Walter Hobbs actor James Caan revealed how excited he and the other cast members were about returning (via Daily Mail). He also underlined his excitement by proclaiming he “finally got a franchise movie,” likely referencing the fact that his iconic The Godfather film series character Sonny Corleone was killed off in the first installment.
Caan revealed that Will was on board to return — though any interview of Ferrell would contradict this statement — but wouldn’t do so with Jon Favreau at the helm. According to Caan, Favreau and Ferrell didn’t get along while making the movie. The Godfather actor also suggested that Ferrell had it in his contract that Jon Favreau couldn’t be the director if he were to do a sequel. Over the years, both Jon Favreau and Will Ferrell have rejected the idea of a sequel, so it seems that their personal oppositions didn’t make much of a difference either way.
Will Ferrell Called An Elf 2 Return “Pathetic”
Will Ferrell is no stranger to comedy sequels years later – take Anchorman 2, Daddy’s Home 2, or Zoolander 2, for example – so it’s surprising he was so quick to write off a second Elf movie. When asked in 2013 whether or not Ferrell would consider returning as Buddy the Elf, the actor replied with “absolutely not,” believing it would be “pathetic” to go back to the iconic Christmas movie character today (via Daily Mail). In another interview (via Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen), here’s what Ferrell had to say about Elf 2: “I just think it would look slightly pathetic if I tried to squeeze back in the elf tights: Buddy the middle-aged elf.”
While this likely saddens many fans that Ferrell is against ever putting on the yellow tights again, the actor has a point that a naive child-like elf-man in his 50s would give off a different sentiment than when in one’s 30s. Elf may have augmented Ferrell’s career, but it seems like one of the least likely projects that he would consider returning to because of the spectacle of the role. The tights appear to be a significant deterrent for Step Brothers actor Will Ferell playing Buddy again, but the major turnoff for a sequel seems to be his issues with the script.
Will Ferrell Turned Down The Sequel Script
Ferrell turning down the sequel payday is actually quite noble, as he suggested the sequel script really would have unreasonably just rehashed the original story. He felt the script was horrible as it introduced nothing new to the story, stating he turned down the sequel and all the cash because he would have wanted to promote the film honestly by telling people the movie was going to be bad, and he only did it for the money. Instead of angering the studio by being honest to the public and compromising his own principles, the Talladega Nights actor rejected Elf 2 outright. Recalling his hesitation with the script, here’s what Ferrell revealed (via THR):
“I would have had to promote the movie from an honest place, which would’ve been, like, “Oh no, it’s not good. I just couldn’t turn down that much money.” And I thought, “Can I actually say those words? I don’t think I can, so I guess I can’t do the movie.“
Thankfully, Ferrell’s refusal to return dissuaded the studio from ever making Elf 2 without him. Ferrell’s performance is the heart and soul of Elf, so trying to recreate the movie with another actor as Buddy (or a Buddy-like character) could have stained the legacy of the original Christmas movie. Elf recreations on Broadway or cartoons have worked over the years, but a direct film sequel, especially with a poor script, would have been at a clear disadvantage without Will Ferrell playing Buddy.
Spirited Proves Elf Was Better Off Standalone
Elf has left a massive legacy in its wake, and Will Ferrell has returned to Christmas movies with his latest endeavor, titled Spirited. The movie is a reimagining of the classic Charles Dickens tale A Christmas Carol, starring the likes of Ryan Reynolds, Octavia Spencer, and Tracy Morgan. However, a stellar cast was not enough to save the Christmas Carol musical, as it opened to mainly middling reviews. All in all, what Spirited proves is it’s better that Elf 2 didn’t happen. Will Ferrell felt subdued in Spirited, compared to his larger-than-life performance in Elf. While there is still plenty of room for laughs there, his character as the Ghost of Christmas Present is much more low-key than his last Christmas movie. A subdued Will Ferrell would’ve absolutely ruined Elf 2. While this new role works for him at this later stage of his career, it’s such a vast departure from his portrayal of Buddy that the two works are night and day. In the end, it’s a good thing that Elf 2 didn’t happen, as anything with less exuberance than what was shown in Elf would definitively tarnish its legacy.
