Main sequel was cancelled after Will Ferrell fell out with well-known actor

Will Ferrell’s fall out with a well-known actor reportedly scuppered the possibility of his iconic Christmas movie changing into a franchise.

A variety of his followers would give their proper arm for one more instalment of Elf to look at on repeat over the festive season – however the actor truly turned down a whopping £23million to make a sequel.

In keeping with Ferrell’s late co-star James Caan, who performed his father Walter Hobbs within the 2003 flick, it is all right down to a feud between the comic and the director of the film, Jon Favreau.

Favreau has been each behind and in entrance of the digicam all through his prolonged profession in Hollywood, because the filmmaker can also be an honest display star.

He defined that he ‘wasn’t notably ‘ in directing Elf when he first learn the script, revealing that it was ‘a lot darker’ than the one which Ferrell later learn from.



The Iron Man and Wolf of Wall Road actor spent a yr rewriting it, as he beforehand told Rolling Stone that he thought it wanted firming down fairly a bit.

“It was extra of a PG film from a PG-13,” Favreau mentioned. “The character turned a bit extra harmless, and the world turned extra of a pastiche of the Rankin/Bass movies.

“The studio learn [the new script] and agreed to make it, and that’s after I was introduced on to direct.”

Throughout the 2020 interview with the publication, he went on to reward Ferrell for ‘being a fearless performer and throwing himself into’ the function, whereas complimenting his dedication to ‘bodily comedy’.

However in response to Caan, Favreau and Ferrell did not share these type of niceties whereas on the set of Elf.

Whereas discussing the prospect of a sequel to the beloved Christmas movie, The Godfather star claimed that the Hollywood heavyweights ‘did not get alongside very effectively’.

Caan informed the radio station 92.3 The Fan in 2020: “We have been gonna do it and I believed, ‘Oh my god, I lastly bought a franchise film, I might make some cash, let my children do what the hell they need to do.’

“The director [Favreau] and Will [Ferrell] didn’t get alongside very effectively.

“So, Will wished to do it, he didn’t need the director, and he had it in his contract…it was a type of issues.”

Ferrell defined that he declined the chance to reprise his function as Buddy the Elf as a result of he did not consider within the script.

He beforehand told the Hollywood Reporter: “I might have needed to promote the film from an sincere place, which might’ve been, like, ‘Oh no, it’s not good. I simply couldn’t flip down that a lot cash’.

“I believed, ‘Can I truly say these phrases? I don’t suppose I can, so I assume I can’t do the film’.”

Favreau, then again, mentioned that he believes Elf was a one and completed job when requested about why the Christmas movie did not get a sequel.

“I feel there’s at all times room for brand new Christmas motion pictures,” he told Selection in 2023. “That specific movie, I do not know what story could be informed after that. It’s totally full.”