Will Ferrell Turned Down a ‘Crazy Amount of Money’ For ‘Elf’ Sequel
One of Will Ferrell’s most beloved film characters is Buddy in the holiday film Elf. Buddy is a cheerful, oversized human raised at the North Pole by Santa’s elves. His boundless enthusiasm and love for Christmas make him endearing and hilariously out of place in the real world.
Despite many requests to reprise the role, Ferrell turned down a “crazy amount of money to do it.” Here’s why there’s no Elf 2 (yet)!
Will Ferrell admits there’s been no script that compares to the original film
Since Elf unleashed Buddy on moviegoers, talks of a sequel are ongoing. Will Ferrell says that he hasn’t been impressed with any subsequent scripts. But that hasn’t stopped studios from courting him in a big way to reprise the beloved film role.
“There was a lot of movement after the film initially came out,” Ferrell told interviewer Josh Horowitz on the HappySadConfused podcast. “I maintained it’s going to be really hard. [Elf] is a classic fish out of water story.”
The actor continued, “An attempt was made at a script which tried its best. But I was like, ‘I don’t know.’ I was offered a crazy amount of money. But I have to be able to sit in a setting like this and talk about the movie in a way I feel good about.”
He concluded, “I told my manager, ‘if I were to promote that movie, I’d literally say, I did it for the money.’ Do you want that messaging out there?”
Which ‘Elf’ scene was Will Ferrell’s favorite?
Of all the hilarious scenes in Elf, one stands out as Will Ferrell’s favorite. The actor maintains this particular moment sets the tone for the film. Speaking with Rotten Tomatoes, Ferrell shared his thoughts on this particular scene.
“I knew it was working at that moment where Buddy is in the back of the sleigh and everyone’s singing in Central Park and there’s enough Christmas spirit to get it lifted off, and he’s waving goodbye,” Ferrell revealed. “I’m like, ‘Oh I can’t let everyone see me cry here at my own movie.'”
He added, “I was like, ‘Oh gosh, this is working on a level that I didn’t anticipate.’ That was pretty cool.”
What is ‘Elf’ about?
Since its 2003 release, Elf has become a beloved holiday staple, enchanting audiences with its heartwarming story and Will Ferrell’s charm. The actor starred as lovable Buddy, a human raised by Santa’s elves at the North Pole who embarks on a journey to New York City to find his biological father.
Elf blends humor, festive spirit, and a touching message about family and the magic of Christmas. Ferrell’s over-the-top performance, combined with a strong supporting cast including James Caan, Zooey Deschanel, and Bob Newhart, solidified the film’s status as a holiday must-watch.
Nearly two decades later, Elf remains one of the most rewatched Christmas films. But most of all, its message of kindness, belief, and holiday joy remains as timeless as ever. This makes Elf a family feel-good movie for anytime of the year.
