Will Ferrell Reveals Why He Turned Down a $29 Million Offer for an ‘Elf’ Sequel. Every year families all around the world come together to watch a variety of Christmas and Holiday Movies get into the festive season, with many of these go-to classics available on television and streaming services to boot!
We turn to franchises such as The Santa Clause and Home Alone, watch the originals and remakes for movies like Miracle on 34th Street and How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and also enjoy stand-alone films like A Christmas Story (we ignore the “other” one here…) and Elf.
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Many Christmas movie fans agree that there are some films better left to the original piece, hence the ignoring A Christmas Story “sequel”, but what about the movies that ALMOST got a sequel? Would it have deminished the original? More times than not, that answer is “Yes”, at least that’s what Will Ferrell and Director Jon Favreau think!
Elf was an instant classic as far as Christmas movies go, with the film being played over and over again every year and merch still a hot selling item around the holidays, so why did a sequel never pan out? Turns out, Will Ferrell had a few qualms with the storyline as reportedly a lack of interest in working with Jon Favreau again. Ferrell was offered a $29 Million deal to make a sequel but felt he couldn’t be a part of the lack luster story. Ferrell spoke candidly with The Hollywood Reporter, saying:
“I would have had to promote the [Elf 2] 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.‘”
He had expressed a similar sentiment when featured on Watch What Happens Live back in 2013, where he told host Andy Cohen, “I just think it would look slightly pathetic if I tried to squeeze back in the elf tights. “Buddy the middle-aged elf.”“
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in 2020, Ferrell’s Elf Co-star James Caan spoke with 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland sharing that he, Caan, was ready to go for a sequel, but a reported issue between the film’s leading man and the intended returning director made the deal fall through, enlightening listeners by sharing: “We were gonna do it, [an Elf sequel] 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.“
Favreau had also shared his perspective on the canceled sequel, adding to the conversation that it was “probably for the best”. “In the beginning, there was talk of a sequel, and it never came to be, probably for the best as now it exists as its own thing. But it comes up. I hear from the studio who pitch me different takes on it. There is part of me that wonders if there’s anything to be done to follow-up Elf, but I think a straight sequel is probably not the right move.” Jon added that a sequel would be, “a big gamble. If I don’t do anything I’d be very happy with what [Elf] is. The minute you take it on, you try to add on to something, you always run the risk of diminishing from the original.”
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Is Elf one of your favorite Christmas movies year after year? Does anyone else have a family that still says ” Buddy the Elf, What’s your favorite color?” When they answer the phone around the holidays? (No, just my family? Okay then…) We would love to hear which movies are your Christmas go-to’s. Be sure to share your list in the comments and be sure to check back here at Chip and Company for updates and all things entertainment!
Featured Photo Credit: New Line Cinema
Source: ComicBook
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