One of the stars of 'Elf' says a sequel didn't happen because Will Ferrell 'didn't get along very well' with director Jon Favreau
- James Caan, who played Will Ferrell's fictional father in the movie "Elf," said a sequel never materialized because Ferrell and the film's director, Jon Favreau, "didn't get along very well."
- Caan told the "Bull & Fox" show on Cleveland's 92.3 FM radio station: "We were going to 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.'"
- However, he said a sequel never made it to production because "the director and Will didn't get along very well. Will wanted to do it, and he didn't want the director."
James Caan, who played Will Ferrell's fictional father in the beloved Christmas movie "Elf," said a sequel never materialized because Ferrell and the film's director, Jon Favreau, "didn't get along very well."
During an interview with the "Bull & Fox" show on Cleveland's 92.3 FM radio station, Caan said: "We were going to 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.'"
But he said the sequel never made it to production because "the director and Will didn't get along very well. Will wanted to do it, and he didn't want the director."
But Caan said Favreau — who is now best-known for directing big-budget films such as the first two "Iron Man" movies, "Jungle Book," and the 2019 "Lion King" remake — had the sequel "in his contract," so the film's production could not go forward without him. "It was one of those things," Caan said.
In public, Ferrell has continually shut down the idea of a second "Elf" movie. In 2006, he told The Observer he turned down $29 million to star in an "Elf" sequel. In 2013, Ferrell reaffirmed his decision to People, saying he would not make another "Elf" movie because it would look "slightly pathetic" if he tried to "squeeze" back into his elf tights.
Favreau, however, has often said he would be open to a sequel and even discussed plot ideas during an interview with Yahoo News in 2016.
"Elf" film stars Ferrell as a human elf named Buddy who works and lives among Santa's elves in the North Pole, alongside Zooey Deschanel, Ed Asner, and Peter Dinklage.
Both critics and fans often list "Elf" among the greatest Christmas movies of all time. The film has spawned a Broadway adaptation, a video game, and an animated TV special.
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