Here’s why we never got the 'Elf' sequel we deserve

In the year 2003, scientists finished the Human Genome Project, Lance Armstrong won his fifth Tour De France, the final Concorde flight took place, and Will Ferrell starred in a little old Christmas film called Elf.

The movie was the former SNL actor’s follow-up to Old School, and although he’s admitted to The Hollywood Reporter he felt silly running around New York City in yellow tights, Elf went on to generate $220 million at the global box office. The movie also became ingrained in pop culture, playing on TVs around the world each December and giving us some downright gems to quote.

(All together now: “Buddy the Elf, what’s your favourite colour?”)

In a new interview with THR, in which Ferrell sits down to discuss his career in full detail, the 54-year-old reveals that before the early Elf reviews were in, he remembers thinking to himself, “Boy, this could be the end.”

As we now know, the reverse was true. According to the article, the movie did well across all kinds of test screenings, from family viewings to what Ferrell describes as, “A bunch of what look like USC frat boys about to go in.” It also fared well with critics, and only The Washington Post wasn’t a fan, calling Elf, “The first and possibly the last Will Ferrell star vehicle.” 

For anyone who hasn’t watched the Jon Favreau-directed movie in a while, Elf features Ferrell as a man who was raised as an elf in the North Pole, but he travels to New York City to reconnect with his businessman father, Walter (James Caan). In the process, he also bonds with his half-brother, Michael (Daniel Tay), and his co-worker, Jovie (Zooey Deschanel). 

Naturally, it didn’t take long for the Powers That Be to begin talking about a sequel. According to Ferrell, there was a genuine push to get that done. Not only was a script written, but Ferrell was offered a whopping $29 million to come back as Buddy.

So why didn’t he? Well, as it turns out, Ferrell thought the script was hot garbage, and too much like the original story.

“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,’” he tells THR. “And I thought, ‘Can I actually say those words? I don’t think I can, so I guess I can’t do the movie.'”

Turns out, fans are very proud of the fact that Ferrell made the decision, ultimately protecting the character and the story they know and love.

We’d like to point out that Ferrell isn’t against sequels themselves, though. Shortly after Elf hit theatres, the actor was back with the 2004 flick Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, which he co-wrote and starred in. Nine years later, he returned with Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, a film that he and his former creative partner/director Adam McKay also co-wrote.

That “was a sequel worth having,” Ferrell reveals. Considering the movie pulled in more than $173 million at the global box office (nearly twice the $90 million generated by the original), he might not be wrong.

In other words, Hollywood needs to get the memo: come up with an appropriate script, and maybe—just maybe—we will all finally get the Elf sequel we deserve. For now, fans have a few ideas to get those creative, maple syrup juices flowing.

In the meantime—as the Elf lovers out there wait and play the original film on repeat come December, pining over what could be—we’d like to point out that it’s totally appropriate to console yourself with a big old plate of spaghetti and maple syrup. Don’t forget the giant, 2L bottle of Coke to wash it all down.

BEFORE YOU GO: 'Grey's Anatomy' casts first Non-Binary doctor

[video_embed id='2310369']BEFORE YOU GO: 'Grey's Anatomy' casts first Non-Binary doctor [/video_embed]