Getting into the sequel business in the movie industry is a daunting task for any studio, as there are so many things that can go wrong. A successful movie usually leads to talks of a sequel, but the truth is that these movies almost never live up to its predecessor. Franchises like the MCU, Star Wars, and the Fast & Furious have done well here, but they are a rare breed.
Back in 2003, Elf was released into theaters and instantly became a loved film that blossomed into a holiday classic. Over the years, there have been vocal fans that want nothing more than to see the cast back in action, but we haven’t seen anything materialize.
Let’s take a look and see why there hasn’t been a sequel to Elf.
Elf Was A Massive Hit
Elf may be a timeless classic now, but back when it was released, it was not a guarantee to become a hit. After all, holiday films come out each and every year, and for the most part, they are quickly forgotten about and tossed alongside all the other ones that had been released in year’s past.
For Elf, utilizing a sharp cast with Will Ferrell, Zooey Deschanel, and James Caan was instrumental in it getting over with fans. Furthermore, Jon Favreau, who has turned into one of the best directors in Hollywood, was a perfect fit to bring it all together and help get it onto the big screen. All the ingredients were there for a hit, and once Elf hit theaters, it did quite well for itself.
According to Box Office Mojo, the film was able to gross $220 million at the worldwide box office. This was a nice hit for the studio and for all involved, but they had no idea that the film would remain popular as time went on. In fact, it is now one of the most popular holiday flicks ever made.
Now, we have seen holiday movies like A Christmas Story keep things simple with just one film, but people still wanted to see more of Buddy the Elf and the friends that he made in the film. Turns out, there may be a few reasons why it never happened.
There Was Tension Between Will Ferrell And Jon Favreau
James Caan, one of the stars of the film, actually opened up about the potential of a sequel and why it never came to pass.
According to Caan, “We were gonna do it, and I thought ‘Oh my God, I finally have a franchise movie. I can make some money, let my kids do what the hell they want to do.’ The director and Will didn’t get along very well. Will wanted to do it, and he didn’t want the director. He had it in his contract. It was one of those things.”
That’s right, things were not always so great between the film’s star and its director, which is never an easy thing to deal with. While they were still able to get through filming, it is clear that this was a dividing factor in the sequel ever getting off of the ground.
It may seem easy to just slide in another director, but the truth is that tampering with one of the reasons why the first film was so successful could have a negative impact on the sequel. Obviously, Ferrell would have to be around, meaning that Favreau would be the odd man out. Who’s to say that it would work out with someone else?
Despite the pair not getting along, they still made movie magic. Interestingly, Ferrell has actually been offered a chance to make an Elf sequel.
Ferrell Has Turned It Down Before
Movie studios like making money, and making a sequel to Elf seems like a simple decision to make. This is precisely why Ferrell has been offered the chance to hop back in the saddle as Buddy. In fact, he was offered $29 million to do it.
Ferrell would tell The Guardian, “I remember asking myself: could I withstand the criticism when it's bad and they say, 'He did the sequel for the money?' I decided I wouldn't be able to. I didn't want to wander into an area that could erase all the good work I've done—but you watch, I'll do some sequel in the future that's crap.”
Ferrell does have a point. People are always quick to criticize, and had the sequel not lived up to the original, there would have been a ton of backlash.
Whether it is from tension or from wanting to preserve the legacy of the first film, it doesn’t seem like an Elf sequel is going to ever happen.
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