Will Ferrell Shares the Criticism He Got From Elf Costar James Caan – E! Online

18. Ferrell turned down a reported $29 million paycheck to reprise the role of Buddy for a sequel, telling The Guardian in 2006 that it “wasn’t difficult at all” to pass on the opportunity.”I remember asking myself: could I withstand the criticism when it’s bad and they say, ‘He did the sequel for the money?'” he explained. “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.”

19. But Caan alleged it was tension between Ferrell and Favreau that possibly squashed any plans for a follow-up.

“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,'” he said on 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland. “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.”

20. While a sequel won’t be found in anyone’s stockings, fans were gifted with a Broadway musical inspired by the film in 2010. The show ran through 2013 and traveled overseas to the West End in 2015. And a revival is set to London for the 2023 holiday season.